It Isn't Over
by burnthiscityxx
Summary: Gabriella Montez thinks she's got everything figured out - love, success, best friends. That is, until Troy Bolton comes back into town.
1. Chapter 1: Frustrations

**Hey, everybody! So, ever since I finished off Unexpected & Use Somebody, I really wanted to write about Troy & Gabriella in a completely different setting. So, here it is! Set in the future, after high school and college. =)**

**I hope you guys like it!**

**And, I don't own anything. I wish I owned Troy Bolton. But I'll leave him with Gabriella. =P**

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Chapter 1

If there was one thing Gabriella Montez hated, it was a mess. She didn't like her life to be turned upside down unexpectedly; she liked things to be orderly, organized, and neat. Which is why she started all her Saturday mornings the same way: with one big mug of coffee, the morning's newspaper, and her comfortable deck chairs in the backyard of the townhouse she shared with her roommate and best friend, Sharpay Evans. Her roommate was nothing like she was. Sharpay was flashy, outgoing, and energetic. As an upcoming actress, she was often seen on the party scene in LA, which caused Gabriella a weird type of anxiety whenever she showed up next to her at red carpets. Nevertheless, they were best friends since their high school drama club back in Albuquerque had thrown them together.

"What the hell are you doing up so early?" a cranky voice interrupted Gabriella's thoughts. She turned around, to see her Sharpay leaning against the sliding door, her blonde hair a tousled mess, and dressed in a silky pink robe. "It's Saturday morning for God's sake," she muttered, plodding her way towards the other deck chair and flopping on top of it dramatically. Then again, most of Sharpay's actions were done dramatically.

"We go through this every weekend, Shar," Gabriella laughed. "Here, have the rest of my coffee so you can be alive," she nudged her mug towards her best friend.

"Caffeine!" Sharpay cried excitedly, sipping it little by little. "Okay, I'm good. So, what are your plans for today?" she asked, leaning back in her chair.

"Absolutely nothing," Gabriella sighed, content. "I've been working like crazy these past few days, so I'm taking a well-deserved break,"

"Uh, no can do, girlie. There's a party at Game tonight," Sharpay reminded her. Gabriella groaned. Game was a restaurant that Zeke Baylor and Chad Danforth, two of their close friends from high school, had opened. In the past year, it had become a popular eatery in the heart of Los Angeles and after garnering a positive review from one of the city's harshest food critics; they were throwing a huge party to celebrate.

"I forgot that was tonight,"

"Well, you have to go. Taylor's coming over in a few, she needs to raid my closet," Gabriella smiled at the unlikely pairing. Taylor McKessie was, by no means, Sharpay's closest friend. In fact, they really only had Gabriella in common to begin with. But since most of their high school friends had ended up in California, Taylor and Sharpay had struck an unexpected friendship with each other. Gabriella always suspected it was their boyfriends, Zeke and Chad, who had set it up.

"Of course I'll go," she relented.

"And bring Brian," Sharpay threatened playfully. Gabriella sighed. Brian Caraway was her boyfriend of several months. He was a physiologist and they had met through Chad, who worked part-time as a sports coordinator on several movie and television sets. While their relationship was still in it's early stages, Gabriella knew it wasn't going to last long.

"Sure, no problem," Gabriella shrugged distantly.

* * *

Game was located on the corner of a hectic street in Los Angeles and that night, it was filled to the brim with local celebrities, press, food critics, and several of Gabriella's closest friends from high school. After walking the necessary red carpet, she found refuge in the softly lit restaurant. Tables groaned under the weight of delicious food – a mix of comfort and gourmet cooking – and the bar sparkled with white lights, flooded with people placing their orders. For a minute, Gabriella lost herself in the shuffle of the crowd, before spotting Chad and Zeke, occupying one of the high tables sprinkled throughout the place.

"Hey!" she cried, giving them both a one-armed hug. "Congratulations on the review, you guys! You totally deserve it," she grinned.

"Thanks, Gabi!" Zeke smiled back, before excusing himself to check on the kitchen.

"It means a lot that you're here, Gabs. After all, you were the one who sat through all of Zeke's disgusting baking concoctions way back when," he joked.

"They were pretty gross, but hey, all of it paid off, right?" she smiled. "Where's Taylor?"

"Over there, talking with Sharpay and Kelsi," he nodded in their direction and Gabriella gave a small wave at the group of girls. "Where's Brian?"

"Oh, we didn't come together. He's working late, so I went ahead first. He'll be here soon, I think," she shrugged her shoulders, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Anyway, I think I'll catch up with Kels. Congratulations again, Chad. You guys worked so hard for this," she grinned, giving him another hug, before joining her girlfriends in a small alcove near the bar, decked out with comfortable couches.

"I'm so excited to see you guys tonight. It's been ages since we last hung out!" Kelsi Nielsen piped up, sipping her white wine. She was a budding composer back in high school and once she set foot in LA, had managed to build her own record label, which was now supporting several big-name acts.

"Kelsi, we saw you last week for lunch," Gabriella pointed out.

"Oh, you know what I mean. Sharpay is always at some audition or modeling gig, Taylor practically lives at the hospital, and Gabi, you're…always MIA," she laughed.

"I am not MIA! I'm busy! Working," she pouted. "Hey, where's Martha?" she asked. Martha Cox was another one of their friends from high school, who had moved out to LA to work at an upcoming dance studio. Over time, she had transformed the place and was now running it.

"You didn't hear? She's holding auditions at the studio for the upcoming Chris Brown tour! It's amazing, that place is really growing," Kelsi said. The conversation went on for a while, the girls catching up on each other's lives, until Gabriella suddenly felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist. Looking up, she found a pair of soft brown eyes and lips that lightly pressed against hers sweetly.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," he apologized, running a hand through his floppy brown hair. Brian Caraway was one of those men who never seemed to age. He was the well-liked, all-star quarterback in his high school, with a penchant for excellence – which meant he was a straight-A student and graduated at the top of his class. His effortlessly, boyish brown hair always seemed to be falling into his eyes, which were a deep chocolate brown, not unlike Gabriella's own.

"No worries. We were just talking about how you and Gabi should go on a trip together, actually," Sharpay said excitedly. "Zeke and I went to the Bahamas last month and it was amazing,"

"Ew, don't need the details, Shar," Kelsi joked.

"I'm just saying!"

"As nice as that sounds, Sharpay, I can't afford any time off at the hospital right now. Plus, with everything that's about to start up…" Brian shrugged his shoulders. "It's so busy,"

"Brian's actually going to start his own medical practice! Isn't that exciting?" Gabriella grinned, rubbing his shoulder affectionately.

"That's great, Brian. But from one doctor to another, you really should take a vacation. When was the last time you guys did anything fun?" Taylor piped up. Gabriella swallowed nervously. It was true that if she and Brian ever had a date, it consisted of take-out and popping in an old movie. They rarely went out and it wasn't unheard of in their relationship to go several days without talking. At first, Gabriella didn't think much of it, citing the short distance between them as being in a mature, adult relationship. After all, Brian was an up and coming physiologist and Gabriella was working her way through the corporate ladder. Career came first for both of them.

"We…" she started to reply, until Chad and Zeke came to join the group. The conversation quickly steered to congratulating the boys and Gabriella breathed a sigh of relief. The truth was, she was second-guessing the whole Brian relationship and had been since Sharpay's BBQ birthday party, when he decided to spend the whole night on his Blackberry, answering emails about his new practice. It wasn't so much that she was disappointed in his interest with his line of work; she, of all people, knew how important work could be. It was that their relationship had an infinite amount of comfort and safety, but no sparks or excitement. She found herself caring less and less when he called late or canceled dinner plans with her. Gabriella took a quick look at the small group of her friends and thought back to the times when they fell in love – maybe it just took some time.

* * *

On Sundays, Gabriella liked sleep. She liked curling up in her comfortable bed until her clock hit double digits and the alarm went off. She liked snuggling her face into the fluffy pillows and she liked stretching across her double bed, feeling like a cat. However, on that particular Sunday morning, Hurricane Taylor, Kelsi, and Martha decided to descend on her quiet townhouse. She heard music thumping and she could smell the scent of freshly made waffles and pancakes. Begrudgingly, she dragged herself out of bed and made her way downstairs.

"What the hell?" she mumbled, leaning against the kitchen doorway. Kelsi was busy tossing fruit into a blender, Taylor flipped hot pancakes off the stove, and Martha was busy making French toast. "Why are you guys here?" she asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Breakfast!" Kelsi announced happily, before pushing the button on the blender and a loud, crunching sound filled the house. Gabriella groaned and moved towards the coffee pot, pouring herself a large helping and sipping it quietly.

"And you decided to make it over here?" she asked the girls, her eyebrows rising in skepticism.

"Oh, come on! It's a gorgeous day and we just wanted to see our favorite girls!" Martha said, clapping excitedly to herself. Gabriella scoffed and looked at Taylor, who had a bemused look on her face.

"Tay, give it up,"

"It's fucking hot outside and we want your pool," Taylor shrugged and went back to the pancakes.

"Of course," Gabriella chuckled to herself. Her friends were crazy, alright, but they were a good kind of crazy. "You know Sharpay's just going to kill you. She hates mornings and interruptions,"

"Oh please, she's up already. We called her before we came over," Kelsi said dismissively, just as Sharpay waltzed into the kitchen. She plucked a strawberry from the fruit bowl and munched on it, leaning against the island.

"Gabi, you look hideous," she remarked. Gabriella snorted and picked up a plate of pancakes for herself.

"Thanks, Shar,"

"Seriously, go change. The boys are coming over. Barbecue time!" she grabbed a pancake off the plate and nibbled.

"Shar, seriously? _Another_ party?" Gabriella grumbled. The night before, she and Sharpay had stumbled into the townhouse at 3 AM, tired and exhausted. She had been looking forward to lazing around and doing absolutely nothing on her Sunday afternoon.

"It'll be fun, you party pooper. Now go shower and change – you stink," Sharpay giggled. "Oh, and call Brian. He needs to relax, too," she added.

"Brian won't come, he's got to work on his new practice, remember?"

"Ew, boring. You two are perfect for each other," Sharpay laughed.

"Hey, Shar, lay off," Taylor warned. "Gabi?" she asked, suddenly realizing that her best friend was now leaning against the kitchen island, staring off into space. "You okay?"

"What? Oh, I'm fine. I just…I'll be in the shower," she shrugged, pushing herself away and heading up the stairs.

"You don't think there's trouble in paradise, do you?" Sharpay mused, twirling a lock of blond hair around her finger.

"Nah, maybe…she's probably just cranky," Taylor shrugged, dismissing Gabriella's strange behavior. But still, she couldn't help noticing her best friend wince slightly whenever Brian's name was brought up in casual conversation. _'Note to self, force Gabi to tell me soon,'_ she thought, before going back to flipping pancakes.

* * *

Several hours later, the whole gang was lounging about the girls' pool. Martha, Kelsi, Jason, and Chad were in the middle of a feisty water-basketball game, while Zeke worked the grill. Meanwhile, Taylor, Sharpay, and Gabriella sat on the deck chairs, their legs stretched out, and sunglasses shielding their eyes from the heat.

"If only everyday were this perfect," Sharpay wondered out loud.

"I could do without this intense heat, though," Taylor commented, sitting up and fanning herself uselessly with the back of her hand. She looked across and saw Gabriella, immersed in the iPhone she clutched in her hands. "Gabi? Are you _working_?"

"What? Oh. No, I'm not, I promise," she shrugged. "It's…it's just Brian," she sighed.

"What's wrong?" Sharpay asked, suddenly interested. She lifted up her sunglasses and turned to face her roommate, who had a troubled look spread across her face.

"It's nothing big, really. I'm trying to text him about tonight and he just keeps blowing me off. I get that he's busy with his plans for the practice, but you would think he'd remember he has a girlfriend," she laughed dryly, tapping her phone forcefully. Gabriella shook her head softly. The night before, she had wondered about the nature of their relationship, how incredibly disconnected they had been. But she was determined to make it work – after all, Taylor and Chad weren't perfect, neither were Zeke and Sharpay. Gabriella knew relationships weren't easy and she knew Brian was a hard-working, dedicated, physiologist. She had decided to see it through, she owed both of them that much. But now, with Brian's constant avoidance, she was re-thinking. Again.

"Gabi, just let him simmer. Like you said, the practice is taking up a lot of his time. There's that huge surprise party after it starts up, I'm sure he'll be fine by then," Kelsi, who had abandoned the water-basketball game, was sitting on the edge of Sharpay's deck chair, toweling her hair.

"Yeah, I guess. It's just weird, that's all. We've been so wrapped up in our own lives, it's hard not to wonder whether or not it's worth it anymore," she pointed out, running a hand through her curly locks. "You know what? I think I'm going to take a nap. I'm feeling really out of it," she said, pushing herself off the deck chair and slipping a tanktop over her bikini. The girls nodded and watched their best friend walk away, her head still bent over her iPhone.

"Where'd Gabi go?" Chad piped up, noticing the brunette had left. He pulled himself out of the pool and headed towards the girls. Zeke and Jason joined him and the gang pulled close.

"Just upstairs. She's fighting with Brian, I think," Sharpay replied. "If you ask me, he's being an ass. Gabriella's the best thing that's ever happened to him, you would think he'd realize that!"

"Shar, you know he's busy with the practice," Taylor said.

"That's the lamest excuse in the _world_. I'm busy with filming, but I still see Zeke every night. Tay, you practically live in the hospital, but you and Chad are perfectly happy," Sharpay pointed out, sitting up. "Let's face it – Brian can't balance personal and work. He can't. Gabi can. It's the biggest deal-breaker in the history of relationships,"

"Sharpay, you have no idea what goes on with them. They're trying to work it out. You have to look at it objectively and from both sides," Chad said, his voice rational and stern.

"All I'm saying is, Gabi is chasing after the perfect relationship – one that she had…" Sharpay started.

"Don't. Don't do that," Taylor warned.

"With Troy," she finished defiantly. A murmur went through the group of friends. Kelsi and Martha averted their eyes, while Zeke clutched the towel so hard, his knuckles turned white. Jason choked on the lemonade he was drinking and Taylor shook her head sadly.

"It's been years, Sharpay. You didn't have to bring that up," she said.

"Why not? Nobody talks about it anymore; maybe this is the time that it should be brought up! Clearly, she's not happy with Brian," Sharpay spat, crossing her arms. She heard a sharp intake of breath and cast a glance at Chad, who was wringing his hands together nervously.

"Actually, she has a point," he said softly. Everybody's heads whipped to meet his gaze.

"Chad? What are you talking about?" Taylor asked, placing a hand comfortingly on her boyfriend's shoulder.

"Troy. He's…he's coming back,"

* * *

**There it is! How do you like it? I hope I conveyed the Gabriella/Brian relationship okay, basically he's obsessed with work and just as Gabriella was about to give it another shot, he goes and reminds her again how difficult their relationship is. =)**

**Read & review! Thanks, everyone! =)**


	2. Chapter 2: Faded Photographs

**Hey everyone! First off, thank you so much for all the feedback from the first chapter! It's great to hear that you guys are liking this story, it just gives me more motivation to keep writing. So keep those reviews comin'! =) Now, this chapter is slightly less drama/action-driven, it mostly looks into Troy and Gabriella as people and what their thoughts are like. Hopefully you guys like it! This chapter does kind of skip days - it doesn't all happen in one day. It happens over the course of a couple of days, just thought I'd point that out, in case it's not clear. =)**

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**Chapter 2**

The clock read 3:48 PM in Charlotte, North Carolina. The sun cast a comfortable heat over the city and tucked away in a picturesque neighborhood, a basketball player with dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes was shooting hoops in his backyard. He dribbled the ball effortlessly through his legs - a trademark move – before jumping high in the air and dunking it through the small hoop. His hands on his hips, he shook the strands of hair out of his eyes and breathed deeply, waiting for his heart rate to slow down.

"I need a break," he said, to no one in particular. Making his way into the house, he grabbed his water bottle off the counter and headed towards the refrigerator. The kitchen was empty, except for the appliances and silverware that lay neatly in boxes on the floors. He stepped over them swiftly, but his blue eyes locked onto a stray picture held up by a failing magnet stuck to the refrigerator door. With one hand on the door handle, he dropped his water bottle, as he struggled to remember when it was that he put the photograph on display. It was old; there was no doubt about it. It was frayed in the top right corner, as if a cat had attempted to chew on it, and it had been folded more than once, each crease representing a different moment in time. He traced the outline of the figures in the photograph – a petite, brunette girl with wide eyes the color of chocolate, singing into a microphone, her forehead resting against a boy with hair similar to his and clutching a microphone, too. He blinked once and carefully pulled the photograph out from underneath the magnet. The boy in the picture was him, back when he was in high school. And the girl was someone special. Someone he wanted to see once he made his big move from Charlotte to Los Angeles. Someone who had disappeared from his life the last two years. Someone who still meant the world to him.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Los Angeles, Gabriella Montez was in the middle of a screaming match over the phone with her boyfriend. The signs were all there – messy, tousled hair, clenched fists, and furrowed brows.

"I can't believe you! You know, I used to not care when you told me you had work to do, probably because I had work too. I understood that, I gave you your damn space, I let you be busy with this huge new project you love," Gabriella explained, trying to get her breathing under control. They had been at it for the past hour and her voice was starting to strain. "But then I go and bring you lunch at your office because I thought I was doing something _nice_, when I see you're not busy at all! Instead, you're already having lunch with some blond bimbo named _Tiffany_!" she screeched.

"Gabi, I wasn't…I told you, it was a business meeting!"

"Then why was she sitting on your desk, Brian?" Gabriella whispered softly. Tears sprung to her eyes and she wiped them away quickly. The truth was, Gabriella didn't know whether she cared or not that she had seen Tiffany leaning against his office desk, her work shirt slightly unbuttoned. She was having a hard time conjuring up any sort of feelings about the situation because in reality, Gabriella honestly didn't care anymore. _'Then why the hell am I still arguing with him over this?'_ she thought to herself.

"Gabi, it was…" Brian fought to find the right words.

"Never mind, Brian. Honestly, just…forget about it. I'm tired and I've got a busy day tomorrow, so I'll just talk to you later," she shrugged her shoulders. "Goodnight," she said curtly, before pressing the End Call button on her phone. Leaning back against her pillows, Gabriella ran her hands through her hair, massaging her scalp softly. Fighting with Brian always got her frazzled and she was wondering why she even bothered with it anymore. It had been a week since the party at Game and Gabi hadn't seen her so-called boyfriend since then. She didn't care as much as she should have, but a part of her knew that she should. It was a complicated emotion and Gabriella exhaled loudly, as she flipped over onto her stomach. Her eyes gazed around her spacious room, sprinkled with reminders of her life. Her law books scattered the floor, covering up the various rugs and carpets she had laid down several years ago. Dirty clothes filled the hamper in the corner, while her closet doors were wide open, revealing a full and colorful closet. Pictures littered every imaginable surface, some in frames, some stuck to billboards and whiteboards. Gabriella's eyes rested on a small, almost unrecognizable picture on the corkboard above her desk. She gravitated towards it, her fingers reaching out to trace two figures – a high school version of herself and a beautiful, blue-eyed boy. The photograph was a candid, taken by someone else, and Gabriella wiped away a small tear, as she drank in the way the boy's fingers were softly placed over hers. It was taken when he was trying to teach her how to shoot a perfect jump-shot and it was autumn, her hair was in mid-whip from the wind. She had a concentrated look on her face and a slight smirk played across his lips – their expressions frozen in time.

* * *

He shifted in his seat, trying to get comfortable. Leaning back, his eyelids fluttered from exhaustion, as the distant, muffled sounds of people began to sift in and out of his thoughts.

"Mr. Bolton?" a tentative voice woke him.

"Yeah?"

"The plane is about to land, could you please put your seat upright?" a stewardess hovered above him and sleepily; he gave her a lazy smile and nodded, putting his seat in the right position. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned and stretched, trying to get comfortable again. His mind started to drift towards his new destination and what would await him there. Leaving home wasn't particularly easy – his entire family was there – but going to a new place was always an exciting thing for him.

"Um…Mr. Bolton?" a small voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked down to see a small, little boy, the age of 6, clutching a pen and paper. "I'm really sorry if you're sleeping, but…my name is Ben, could I get an autograph?" he asked shyly. Troy grinned.

"Sure, bud," he took the pen and paper and quickly signed it, writing a little message to his young fan.

"Thanks! You're awesome! I'm really glad you're going to LA," the little boy beamed at him, before shaking his hand vigorously. "Thanks again, Mr. Bolton!"

"Call me Troy," he chuckled, before ruffling the little boy's hair. Ben ran off excitedly back to his parents, who smiled gratefully back at the basketball player. Troy acknowledged them briefly, before looking out his window, watching the clouds float underneath him. Rummaging through his backpack, his fingers grazed the ends of a frayed photograph and he pulled it out, examining the familiar picture. It was the one that had been tacked up on his refrigerator and his heart swelled at the sight of it again. He grinned again, to himself, excited at the new adventure that lay before him.

* * *

It was a Friday night in Los Angeles, when Chad decided to text the boys for a low-key night out. In several minutes, they had met up at a bar down the street from Game, crammed into a cozy booth, a jug of beer split between them.

"Tay's alright with you coming out tonight? You guys don't get to see each other, much, do you?" Zeke asked, pouring out the golden liquid evenly into their mugs. Jason sat next to him, fidgeting slightly, and Chad grabbed his mug, taking a hearty sip.

"She's at the hospital tonight. I love that woman more than life itself, but I can't exactly compete with a hospital, right?" Chad laughed. "Hey, do you guys think we should've invited Brian tonight?" he asked hesitantly.

"Why?" Jason asked.

"I don't know…guy's night out…I suppose it's not too far out, is it?" he shrugged. "I just don't get what Gabi sees in him," he exhaled loudly.

"Dude, don't tell me you're going to do this. We're gonna sit and gossip like the girls do?" Zeke raised his eyebrows skeptically, a hint of a smile forming on his lips.

"You know what I mean, Z. Gabriella's like our little sister. After everything that went down after college…I just think it's up to us to look out for her. You know it is," Chad reasoned.

"So what does that have to do with Brian? They're fine, the last time I caught up with him," Jason piped up.

"Yeah, because you didn't see how pissed off Gabi was at the barbecue last weekend?" Chad scoffed. His tone was sarcastic, but his eyes shone with compassion. "Brian's nagging her, I know it,"

"So what do you want us to do about it?"

"I don't know, but I think someone should…I don't know," Chad wrung his hands together, biting his lip hesitantly. Suddenly, his phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket, quickly reading the text message that had come through.

"Taylor's back home already? Man, tight leash," Jason joked, slapping a hand on his friend's back. Chad gulped at the text message, turning the phone around so the boys could see.

"It's Troy. He's in LA."

* * *

Gabriella tossed and turned in her bed, fidgeting with her blanket and trying to get comfortable. Cracking open one eye, she saw it was 3 AM on a Saturday morning and she hadn't managed to get one inch of sleep in. Her mind whirled with the thought of Brian and their fight, which wove itself around work, bills, Sharpay, Taylor, and her family. Throwing off her covers dramatically, Gabriella got out of bed and made her way downstairs.

"There is no way I'm going to be able to fall asleep tonight," she grumbled, making herself a steaming mug of hot chocolate, before snuggling up on the couch, a wooly blanket wrapped around her. She drifted in and out of consciousness for a while, until her eyes rested on their bookcase. Making her way across the room, her hands gravitated to a random photo album and she pulled it out, opening it in her lap. Her unruly, long curls fell in her eyes and she pushed them away briefly, noticing that the photo album she had pulled out was filled with pictures from Sharpay and Gabriella's senior year in high school. She flipped the pages and smiled nostalgically at the photographs of various events. Talent shows, parties, basketball games, picnics, musicals, and baseball games. Road trips, studying, fancy dinners, baking sessions, and Wii tournaments. Gabriella suddenly felt that familiar pang in her heart, the slight pain she always got when she wished things could be easier, wished that her life could go back to the way it was in Albuquerque, before the entire Wildcat gang moved out. Her fingers traced a photograph that was already showing signs of fading – a freeze frame of a boy and a girl, their foreheads touching, smiles on their faces.

"We used to be so happy," she whispered softly.

* * *

It was early Monday morning and the sun cast a soft, settling heat over the city of Los Angeles. Gabriella had woken up early and shuffled her way to work, thoughts of a big case already flooding her mind. She had woken up Sharpay – a task that was nearly impossible to achieve – and laid out the newspaper and bills for her roommate to sort through. It was an important day for Gabriella. The previous night brought her closer to her decision about Brian – they were going to break up.

Across town, in the swanky, upscale Four Seasons Hotel, Troy had pressed the snooze button on his alarm clock for the last time. Throwing a bathrobe on, he padded through the suite, rubbing his eyes, before grabbing the day's paper. Settling himself in front of the flat-screen, he thumbed through the Sports section, feeling a familiar lurch in his stomach when he saw his picture alongside a headline screaming, "Bolton joins the Lakers!" He reached the classifieds and began circling available houses. It was an important day for Troy. He was going to get a house, meet up with some old friends, and maybe, just maybe…he would see Gabriella Montez again for the first time in five years.

* * *

**Woot! So, what do you guys think? Obviously, Troy and Gabriella have history and a part of them is still holding on that past. Chad and the boys are concerned, but at this point, Gabriella is the only one who doesn't know Troy is coming back into town!**

**Read and review, please! =)**


	3. Chapter 3: Change is in the Air

**I'm back! I hope everybody had a good Christmas and an amazing New Years! Sorry I've been so MIA lately, finishing up final assignments for college was killer and of course, I was spending time with family and friends. Never fear, though, this story was always in the back of my mind! I love this plot too much to let it go unattended. =)**

**I'm not totally crazy about this chapter, but it needed to be written, needed to get out of my system. Lol. Hopefully you'll like it!**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

There was a slight chill in the air, as Troy navigated his black Range Rover Sport out of the Staples Center the next morning. With a grin on his face, he adjusted his phone so it was set to speaker, ready to pick up in case anybody tried to call him. He had woken up early that morning, for a quick meeting with the managers of the Lakers and he had gotten the chance to meet several of his teammates. They were teasing, but accepting of the young player and Troy couldn't be happier. Turning on his radio, he expertly wove through the LA traffic, ending up on an unfamiliar street, cruising slowly to find the right house. After several minutes, he parked his car on a long driveway and hopped out, jogging lightly to ring the doorbell of a beautiful, Spanish-style house.

"Troy!" his best friend answered the door, pulling him in for a hug immediately. Troy couldn't remember the last time he had seen Chad, but stepping back, he realized it had been far too long.

"Hey, man! I'm not late or anything, right?" Troy wondered.

"Nah, I was just cleaning up around here – it's a fucking mess," Chad shrugged. Troy had to hold back a laugh because the idea of Chad Danforth cleaning up after himself was just too out of character.

"Where's Tay?"

"The hospital, as usual. You want a beer or something?" Chad offered, making his way towards the kitchen. Troy followed him, stealing quick glances around the house, since it was the first time he had really seen it.

"It's noon, I think I'm good," he replied. "So listen, I'm supposed to go look at a couple of houses around the city, Hilary's set up a couple appointments," Troy started.

"That Hilary is damn efficient," Chad chuckled. Hilary Thomas was Troy's personal assistant/manager/sports agent and she was known for being the best in the business – and in Troy's opinion, an incredible pain in the ass sometimes.

"You know how she is. Anyway, do you want to come with? I don't know what the good areas are around here, I figured an LA-head like you could help me out," Troy joked, taking the bottle of water Chad offered him.

"Yeah, that sounds good. I don't need to be at the set and Zeke can handle the restaurant," Chad said, going through his schedule in his head. "Oh, don't forget about tonight. Drinks at Carl's, alright?"

"Sounds good," Troy nodded.

"Alright, man. Make yourself at home, I'm going to change real quick," Chad slapped a hand on Troy's shoulder. "Good to have you back, man. You're gonna kill it," he added, before leaving the kitchen. Troy nodded his head at Chad, before inhaling deeply. Glancing around, he realized this was the first real encounter with his past life. Somehow, Troy had created dividers for his memories, placing each one in separate folders, marked High School, College, Charlotte, and Los Angeles. Now, it seemed like they would start to mesh together and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. Shaking his head, Troy got up and walked towards the living room. It was spacious and beautifully decorated – nothing which indicated a male actually lived there. He noticed a mess of wires and an Xbox station and immediately chuckled to himself, remembering the times when Taylor would yell at her boyfriend to stop playing video games. Troy walked around the living room aimlessly, his fingers grazing over little mementos that sprinkled every surface imaginable. There was a picture of Chad and Taylor on the beach in Miami, during one of the spring breaks in college. There was frame after frame of Taylor's certificates, interspersed with Chad's baseball and basketball trophies. Troy made his way towards two large, wooden bookcases, standing side by side. Crime thrillers and books on basketball were placed next to medical journals and romance novels.

"Man, they really do live together," Troy muttered, the sudden reality of it crashing down on him. He was in awe of Chad and Taylor, they had proven everybody wrong and now, the couple was one that Troy looked up to. He did a general sweep of the room, trying to remember when it was that Chad surpassed him and grew up. The thought made him a little queasy, as his eyes landed on another photograph. The happy couple stood next to familiar faces – Troy and Gabriella. It had been taken on the last day of their trip to Hawaii, after the boys had finished surfing. The wind was tugging at their hair and their arms were entangled, laughing. A sharp pang coursed through Troy and feeling overwhelmed, he sat down on the couch. The memory was vivid and he suddenly realized he had been pushing every thought of her to the back of his mind.

* * *

"Sharpay?" Gabriella's voice rang through the house. It was one in the afternoon and she had only about an hour until her lunch break was up.

"In the kitchen!" Sharpay called. Gabriella followed her voice and found her roommate sitting on the counter, lazily reading the newest issue of InStyle.

"I wish I had your life," she joked.

"I know," Sharpay grinned, closing the magazine and hopping to her feet. "What's up?" she asked, grabbing a bottles of Vitamin Water for both of them.

"I'm just home for a bit, I've got to pick up some clothes," Gabriella explained, taking a swig of her drink.

"Is there some lawyer fashion show at work today?" Sharpay asked quizzically. Gabriella giggled – the thought of her stuffy co-workers strutting down a catwalk was hard to imagine.

"No, I'm going to be working later than usual and I don't have time for laundry, so I'm just going to ship them to the dry-cleaners," Gabriella shrugged. "This case is ridiculous; I can't get a minute to breathe,"

"You love it, though," Sharpay reminded her. And it was true. Gabriella was an excitable young woman, but whenever a new court case presented itself, her eyes would light up with such intensity that Sharpay knew never to question it.

"I know. Anyway, after that, I'm drawing myself a long, long, bubble bath," Gabriella smiled, picking at the fruit bowl on the kitchen island. "What've you been up to?"

"I went to an acting class this morning. And I've got an audition later. I can drop off your dry-cleaning, if you want," Sharpay offered. Gabriella nodded her head. "Oh, I'm actually going out for drinks tonight, with Chad and a bunch of people. You should come!"

"Shar, I'm exhausted and I really don't feel like socializing,"

"Just for a little bit? Taylor's going to be there and you know how crazy her schedule is, I think she's off night shifts for now," Sharpay said, twisting a strand of blonde hair through her fingers. "Pretty please?"

"I'll think about it," Gabriella shrugged. "Who else is going?"

"The usual, you know. Chad, Jason, Zeke, Taylor, Kelsi, Martha. Chad says he's got something important to tell us,"

"It's probably something to do with Game. Maybe they finally got in with Albuquerque,"

"Maybe. Anyways, so you'll come?"

"I'll…we'll see," Gabriella mumbled.

"Awesome! We're meeting up around 9, at Carl's," Sharpay said, giving her roommate a quick hug. "Alright, I've got to get ready for my audition. Text me if you're coming!" she clapped her hands excitedly, before giving Gabriella a quick peck on the cheek and flouncing out of the kitchen. Gabriella sighed, picking absentmindedly at her bottle. She had been planning on going to see Brian, to end things once and for all. _'It'll have to wait,'_ she thought. Pushing herself off the kitchen island, Gabriella's eyes drifted to the refrigerator door, which was filled with papers, magnets, and photographs. Sharpay's rehearsal schedule was peeking out from underneath Gabriella's case examples, while bills, take-out menus, and the occasional brochure to a weekend spa cluttered the surface. Gabriella's chocolate brown eyes rested on the calendar the girls had set up and she noticed that on the previous day, Sharpay had drawn a large red circle around the date. She was puzzled for a minute, before assuming it had something to do with one of her roommate's auditions. She shrugged it off and went back to leaning against the kitchen counter, her fingers tapping at the hard surface.

There was a feeling she got, right before she walked into a court room, which was a mix between excitement and fear. It was the same feeling she got in high school, before she performed in front of an audience or when she gave her valedictorian speech. It was the feeling of happiness and dread rolled into one, of expectations and reality colliding, and for a split second, Gabriella wondered what it was doing, floating around her like an ominously happy aura. The feeling weighed down on her shoulders and as much as she wanted to shrug it off, she couldn't. There it was, suddenly, mixing with butterflies and concrete, creating a tornado that seemed to settle itself comfortably in the pit of her stomach. It made her smile with furrowed eyebrows, clap with hesitation, and thinking this, Gabriella felt like a walking contradiction. Was it the impending breakup with Brian? Or was it something else altogether? Gabriella shook her head, but she couldn't shake the thought that something was coming, whether it be good or bad.

* * *

It was later that night, when Troy took a long pull from the beer bottle in his hand and glanced around him. He was at Carl's, a dimly lit pub down the street from Game, and he was seated in a cramped booth, while live music played behind him. Kelsi, Jason, and Martha were engaged in a conversation about an upcoming music video they were producing, while Chad, Zeke, Taylor, and Sharpay were chatting about the latest movies they had seen. It was then that Troy realized it had been a while since he had actually socialized with anybody. Practice times in Charlotte were so intense that he barely had time to go out and meet new people. There had been a time when Troy would've been the center of attention and the conversation would've woven itself easily around him. But now, Troy felt out of place and uncomfortable, despite the fact that he had known these people for ages. And in the back of his mind, he knew an essential part to their group was missing.

"So, are you stoked to be playing with the Lakers, or what, dude?" Chad asked, punching Troy in the shoulder playfully.

"Definitely stoked. It's the dream, man," Troy replied.

"It's amazing, I mean, it's what you've wanted since high school," Kelsi piped up. Troy nodded, remembering the night he and Kelsi ended up having a long conversation about the future. It was an unlikely friendship, but that was his senior year in high school – unlikely and unexpected.

"It's great to be in LA, definitely. I mean, Charlotte was nice and all, but I didn't really have family or people that I knew well," he shrugged.

"Well, you've got us here. It'll be just like high school!" Sharpay exclaimed, clapping her hands together, before realizing the tension surrounding her words. She took a sip of her martini to busy herself, instead. Troy's muscles clenched at the thought of things returning to the way it was before.

"Um, I think I'm going to get another beer. Anybody wants anything?" he asked, gesturing to the bar. His friends shook their heads and Troy made his way to the crowded bar, finding a good spot to lean against the counter. His mind drifted involuntarily, to thoughts of high school. Being with all his closest friends now, it reminded him of the times in Albuquerque, but he couldn't shake the feeling it was definitely different. Something had shifted in their dynamic as a group. Maybe it was because he had been away for the past couple of years, but Troy picked up on small details. Like how instead of sipping on Diet Cokes and bottles of water, they were drinking vodka limes and beer. It was in the way Chad kept his arm around Taylor's shoulders the whole time, the way Zeke and Sharpay pecked each other on the lips affectionately. It was how Kelsi had gotten contacts and how Jason seemed to be looking at her differently. It was in the way Jason no longer over-used the word, "Dude." Troy's East High world was growing up, spilling over into his professional basketball world, the categories and folders in his brain getting re-shuffled once more, except this time; he could find comfort in it.

He took a quick sip of his newly purchased beer bottle, letting the liquid flow through him. He hung back and observed his group of friends, but he couldn't help but notice that there was the faintest air of drabness surrounding them. Troy didn't try and refute it, he knew what was missing. All that was needed to make it feel like he was truly back in with his closest friends was the one person who had shattered him to pieces. Troy shut his eyes, his mind immediately producing an image of a petite girl, with long dark hair and glittering brown eyes. She was dressed in a black, bandage miniskirt and a loose, chiffon, white top, a look on confusion and shock on her face. _'That's it, that's her. If she were here, things would be exactly the way they were in high school,' _he thought to himself. Sighing, Troy opened his eyes, immediately focusing on the entrance to the pub, where the exact image that was in his mind was staring right back at him.

* * *

"Shit!" Sharpay cried. The entire group stopped their conversations, all heads turning to see the blonde wave her hands frantically.

"Shar? What's wrong?" Taylor asked, concerned.

"Gabriella's here," she squeaked. "She said she was going to text if she was coming, but I left my phone at home…shit, shit, shit!" she cried again, grabbing the nearest drink to her and downing it in one gulp.

"Oh, gee, thanks, I was finished with that," Jason rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe she's here! I mean, I invited her and all, but I didn't think she'd come, she said she had this big case…and he's here, too…" she trailed off. Taylor stole a quick glance at the door, where Gabriella stood, frozen in shock. Across the room, at the bar, was Troy, leaning against the counter with the same expression on his face. "I'm going to go over there and just sort this whole mess…" Sharpay started to get up, but Zeke pulled her arm down forcefully. The booth had gone quiet, watching Troy and Gabriella, anticipating what their next move would be. Slowly and hesitantly, Gabriella started to walk in the direction of the bar. The air around the table tensed as they watched the distance close between the two exes.

* * *

Something shifted in the air that night. While Troy was noticing the little changes in his group of friends he hadn't seen in years, Gabriella could feel an unfamiliar tension burning in her stomach. It was the impending weight, the anticipated change that brought them there and as Gabriella's eyes locked on Troy's for the first time in five years, a difficult question lingered in the back of all their minds: what would happen now?

* * *

**Dun dun dun! Okay, so Gabriella and Troy have finally seen each other face to face, even though they didn't know the other would be at the pub for the big Wildcats reunion! I hope I conveyed their thoughts correctly. Basically, Troy is settling into this new life as an LA Lakers player and he's trying to mesh with his high school friends again, but he's in awe of how much they've all grown up. As for Gabriella, she's still got that impending breakup with Brian hanging over her head and she can sense change all too well. =) **

**Hope you guys enjoyed it! You know what to do, just read and review! =) Xoxo.**


	4. Chapter 4: Dreams

**Hi everybody! First of all, thank you to everybody who reviewed the last chapter! I really appreciate it and it's what keeps this story going - I love writing it and hearing from you guys, so thank you!**

**Anyway, here's chapter four! We last left off with Troy and Gabriella's awkward encounter, so read on and find out what happens! =)**

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* * *

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**Chapter 4: Dreams**

"Why didn't you tell me he'd be here?"

"Gabi, I swear, I didn't know! He was the surprise Chad was talking about and we were all so excited, it just kind of snowballed!"

"Well, damn Chad! Damn all of you! Seven people and not one of you had the decency to pull out a phone and text me?"

"I didn't…we didn't…think of that. I'm sorry!"

"I look like such an idiot! He's just standing there and I walk in and I look like fucking Bambi!"

"Bambi?" Sharpay cocked her head to one side. They had been in the girls' bathroom for what felt like an hour, hashing out the whole awkward encounter.

"You know, deer in headlights, that sort of thing," Gabriella explained. Sharpay giggled and a few moments of silence followed, until Gabriella spoke again. "I can't believe he's here. It's really him, isn't it? Oh my God, Shar…it's Troy," she whispered softly, allowing herself to say the name she had worked so hard to bury.

"I know, honey, I know. It's a big shock, believe me," Sharpay gave her best friend a side hug and stroked her hair comfortingly.

"What do I do?" Gabriella ran her hands through her hair nervously. A part of her wanted to go back home and forget she had ever seen him. But another part was just the tiniest bit curious as to what his story was.

"I…well, for starters, I don't think you should have grabbed me from my seat and hauled me in here. That was really obvious," Sharpay joked and she heard her best friend groan in frustration. Everybody had thought Gabriella was walking towards Troy, but at the last second, she had changed direction, seized Sharpay's arm, and dragged her to the girls' bathroom.

"I didn't know what to do!" Gabriella reasoned. "I still don't know what to do! Shar, he's here," she repeated herself.

"Gabi, I know. I've seen him, talked to him, laughed at him. It's Troy. He's back. And he's going to be back for a while,"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, no. You're not getting it out of me. Look, you can sit here and whine and cry about it, or you can get your ass out there and talk to him like the adult I know you are," Sharpay coached. Gabriella looked up at her best friend uncertainly. "Gabriella Montez, you are a fucking lawyer, damnit! You're successful, gorgeous, and in an amazing place in your life right now. He deserves to know that!"

"Shar, he…he hurt me, remember?"

"Well, isn't that more reason for you to go out there and show him what he passed on?"

"I…I don't know," Gabriella answered softly. Her mind was swimming with different versions of possible conversations with Troy and as she wiped her eyes, ridding them of mascara streaks and eyeliner smudges, she knew she'd have to face him. There was no way Troy would stop hanging out with Chad and vice versa. "Alright. Let's go," she said, turning to look at Sharpay. Her best friend nodded, linking their arms together and strutting out of the bathroom.

They sat across from each other. She was squeezed between Sharpay and Chad, while he shifted uncomfortably between Jason and Taylor. Despite the sound of conversations drifting around them, the tension was palpable. In the background, Gabriella could hear the live band starting up their own rendition of 'Your Body is a Wonderland,' and her mind flashbacked to a time in college when Troy had spontaneously sang it to her. She forced herself to glance at him quickly, but when her eyes met his, they locked. Gabriella's breath caught in her throat and she saw him sharply inhale. The chemistry was still there, after all the years of heartache and pain, the attraction was still strong. Biting her lip nervously, Gabriella tried to focus on the conversations around her, anything to keep her mind off the fact that her ex-boyfriend was now in town for an undetermined amount of time. Anything to keep her mind off her impending breakup with Brian. Anything to keep her mind off the shivers that shot through her body as Troy's foot accidentally nudged hers under the table.

* * *

"Sorry, but I'm kind of busy right now," she waved her hand dismissively, not even looking up from her court cases. Gabriella was seated comfortably in her nearest Starbucks café, papers strewn around her and her laptop open on the table. It was a couple of days after the uncomfortable encounter at Carl's and since she had wrapped up her important court cases, Gabriella went back to working at home, on and off. On this particular day, she had decided to leave the comfort of her living room and exist in the outside world again.

"Where have I heard that before?" a familiar, deep voice answered and Gabriella immediately snapped her head up. He was taller and more muscular than she last remembered him. And without the dim pub lighting that obscured his face the other night, Gabriella was subject to the memorable, intense, ocean-blue eyes that were his trademark. With a sharp intake of breath, she braced herself.

"What…are you doing here?" she managed.

"I was getting coffee and I saw you. Thought I'd say hi, since the other night was kind of…" he trailed off, fingering the top of his to-go coffee cup.

"Awkward," she finished for him.

"That it was. What are you working on?" he asked, leaning back into the armchair. Gabriella groaned inwardly. He was making himself comfortable, which meant she couldn't avoid him at any cost.

"Just a couple of upcoming court cases," she said shortly.

"So you really went with the whole lawyer thing?" he took a sip of his coffee, as Gabriella raised her eyebrows questioningly at him. "I just remember you also wanted to be a writer,"

"Oh," she said quietly. She couldn't believe he still remembered that dream of hers. It was in their sophomore year, when they randomly attended a seminar held by Harper Fitz, a successful and popular author. Gabriella was entranced by the publishing world and immediately began taking creative writing classes, in addition to reporting on the campus newspaper.

"I'm guessing you're not writing anymore, then?"

"It's just been crazy these past few years. Being a lawyer isn't easy work, so writing's on the back-burner for now," she explained, although her mind brought her to the countless unfinished Word documents she had saved on her Mac. They were outlines of possible plotlines, character developments, and several short stories.

"I see," he nodded. Gabriella continued to stare at him, nervously anticipating what he would come up with next. She wasn't ready for this. She didn't want to see him; she was doing so much better without him, wasn't she? "So how are things, Gabriella? What's life been like?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, we didn't really get to talk at the bar the other day," he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and Gabriella gulped, suddenly feeling like all the air in the room had disappeared. There was something about Troy that affected her, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It was like whenever he was around, the air got hotter, she felt nervous, and he managed to push all the wrong and right buttons at the same time.

"I've been…why don't you tell me what's been going on?" she bit her lip. "You've been in North Carolina the past few years,"

"Yeah, well, I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to play with the Lakers," he grinned. "It's the dream, remember?" she could feel his eyes gazing at her, trying to search for an answer or reassurance – she wasn't sure which one.

"That it is," she looked up at him reluctantly and in an instant, all her willpower and nervousness went out the window. They held each other's gaze and for a moment, the world stopped, as the last words he said seemed to reverberate through her mind.

* * *

_-FLASHBACK-_

_Gabriella stepped into her boyfriend's cozy apartment, shaking off her coat and scarf, sending snowflakes flying everywhere. It was Christmas break and she had flown to North Carolina to visit and spend the holidays with Troy. _

_ "Baby? Where are you?" she called out, stepping out of her boots and giving her hair a quick fluff, heading towards the living room to find her boyfriend sitting on the couch. She knew from his position that he was in deep concentration. Gabriella leaned against the doorframe for a minute, drinking him in. He was resting his elbows on his knees, a beer dangling from his fingers between his legs, and his eyes focused on the TV in front of him. The Lakers game was on and Gabriella knew he was mentally taking notes of his favorite players. "You know, I never understood why you rooted for the Lakers. Shouldn't you be cheering on a team closer to home?" she piped up. He straightened up at the sudden interruption and waved his hand in the air as if to say hello, all while keeping his eyes glued to the game. Sighing, Gabriella crossed the room and plopped down on the seat next to him, her hand instinctively going to play with the ends of his dirty blonde hair. They had been dating since sophomore year in high school and having just celebrated their four-year anniversary, Troy and Gabriella were more comfortable with each other than ever. She knew how much he loved zoning out and focusing on basketball, he knew how much education meant to her. '_What the hell did I ever do to deserve such an amazing, passionate man like this?_' she thought to herself, as the Lakers scored and Troy pumped his fist into the air. The game went to commercial and he finally turned to face her._

_ "Hey, sweetie," he grinned, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "How was your day?"_

_ "It was good, Megan showed me Hill Park, where you guys do your training," she said, reaching over to grab his beer and taking a quick sip for herself. "Now give me a real kiss," she smiled at him. Troy chuckled at his girlfriend, taking the beer bottle and setting it on the coffee table. Snaking one arm around her waist and the other around her neck, he pulled her in for a soft, sweet, lingering kiss. "Mmm. That's more like it," she smiled, kissing the tip of his nose excitedly, before snuggling into his chest and leaning back against the couch. "So how are the Lakers doing?"_

_ "Amazing, as always. I know playing for the Devils is awesome and if I get drafted into the Bobcats, it's going to be unreal, but all I've ever wanted was to play for LA, you know?" he thought aloud, letting his fingers get lost through her mass of curly hair. _

_ "You will, one day. I know it, I can feel it," she giggled._

_ "Yeah, who knows," he shrugged. He felt Gabriella tense and move away from him slightly, before she tucked a finger underneath his chin and lifted his face to meet hers._

_ "Hey," she said softly. "I know you, Bolton. I've seen what you can do. You were the golden boy in high school, you're the superstar here at Duke, and you will get on the Lakers, I promise you," she assured him, her tone confident. _

_ "You think?" he raised his eyebrows._

_ "I know," she nodded, giving him another kiss on the lips. "Look, a couple of years from now, you're going to be the newest, hottest addition to the LA Lakers and life is just going to be peachy. If it's the dream, it'll happen," she smiled. _

_ "If it's the dream, then you're going to be there with me," he whispered softly._

_ "Yeah? Doing what, exactly?"_

_ "You can be my groupie," he shrugged, his tone flat with mock seriousness. Gabriella looked up at him, hurt for a second, until she saw the mischievous sparkle in his baby-blue eyes. _

_ "Very funny, Bolton," she rolled her eyes, punching him playfully on the shoulder. He laughed, catching her at the waist and pulling her against his chest, hugging her tightly._

_ "Okay, so I'll be playing on the Lakers, just like I always wanted. And you're…you're going to be a successful author. You're going to write amazing novels and do journalism on the side," he explained, his voice pensive with hope and sincerity. _

_ "What about my law degree? You know, the one I'm busting my ass trying to get?" she snickered._

_ "Aw, man. Okay. So, I'll be at the Lakers and you'll be a lawyer, but also an author. You can do both, right?"_

_ "I guess it sounds possible," _

_ "Alright, so that's where we'll be. Living it up in Los Angeles – a basketball player and a lawyer-slash-author. And we'll get our own house, somewhere in the private area in Hollywood Hills,"_

_ "Mmm, I'd like that,"_

_ "Yeah?"_

_ "Yeah, and we could get a puppy!" she exclaimed._

_ "We could get a puppy," he nodded, chuckling into her hair._

_ "Sounds perfect, doesn't it?" she asked, hugging his arms closer to her. The truth was, the idea wasn't far from crazy. The future was coming at them faster than ever before and although neither one dared to admit it, Troy and Gabriella both felt like they had found 'The One.' They had ambitions, together and apart, and knowing that those dreams could coexist, made their relationship stronger. Gabriella sighed into his chest, her thoughts far away in their future life together. "It's the dream,"_

_

* * *

_

Gabriella blinked fast, shaking her head and coming out of her daydream. Her memories of life with Troy were still so vivid, so colorful, and so real, that whenever one crept up on her, it had a way of paralyzing her. She tried to focus on what was going on and glancing across the table, she noticed that Troy was speaking.

"I know it's sort of crossing the line and I probably have no right asking you, but what do you think?" he was fidgeting nervously in his seat, she could tell.

"Um. I'm sorry; I think I totally spaced out for a while back there. What are you talking about?" Gabriella asked sheepishly.

"Well, I was just wondering if you maybe want to grab dinner sometime. Or even just drinks. You know, to catch up," he explained, wringing his hands uncomfortably. Gabriella's eyes widened at the sudden turn of events. How did they go from being in love to being exes to a night filled with awkwardness to him suddenly asking her out again?

"What?" she blurted out, her voice incredulous at his sudden request. Troy looked down at his shoes, scuffing the floor for a moment, before dragging his eyes up to meet hers again. There it was that sudden, unexpected punch to the stomach. Gabriella felt the air leave her lungs and for a moment, she couldn't breathe.

"I just…it's probably out of line," he shook his head at himself. "Gabi, we're going to have to be civil to each other,"

"The conversation we just had wasn't civil enough for you?" she scoffed.

"You know what I mean. I don't think I could handle the forced, fake stuff," he shrugged. "I'm just being realistic,"

"You're being realistic," she repeated, the words tasting like sandpaper on her tongue. On one hand, Gabriella was glad Troy was back in town. It meant Chad could have his best friend back, the Lakers would gain an amazing player, and their Wildcat gang would be complete. On the other hand, Troy coming to LA conjured up a whirlwind of emotions she wasn't entirely sure she could handle. He made her want to drop everything and run into his arms, where she knew it was safe and comforting. Seeing him again made her want to forget about her life and pick up where they had left off – but they both knew it was still too raw, too fresh to talk about. It made Gabriella angry that he could have this effect on her. After years of shutting him out, of trying to move on, all it took was one look at him and she could feel her perfect life start to crumble. "I need to go," she said abruptly, gathering her piles of paper and slamming her laptop shut.

"Gabriella," he started, but she held a hand up towards him.

"No, Troy," she crammed her papers in her bags, trying desperately to hurry up, before tears could fall. "You don't get to come back into our lives, into my life, and act like everything's okay. I have a life here, I have Brian and a job, and…" she trailed off, gazing at Troy, who's expression had gone from awkward to downright bewildered. "You're living your dream, right? Let me live mine. Without you," she added solemnly, before grabbing her things and walking briskly out of the store.

* * *

Troy ran a shaky hand through his hair, messing it up artfully. It had been half an hour since Gabriella walked out on him and he was sitting in the same exact position, trying to figure out what happened. All he wanted was a nice, quiet dinner or even a friendly conversation over drinks with her. He knew it probably crossed a 'friend' line somewhere, but he really didn't want there to be any tension between them – after all, the past was a long time ago. But Troy was beginning to realize something since he had moved to LA, and that was that the past never really stayed in the past for long. Troy sighed exasperatedly, all he wanted to do was smooth things over with Gabriella. There was no denying there was still chemistry between them, the sparks when they were together could start a raging fire. _'And I really wouldn't mind that…' _he thought to himself. Standing up, he started to make his way towards the exit, before coming to a stop in his tracks as a few choice words Gabriella said crashed through his thoughts. _'I have Brian…'_ Troy swallowed the disgusting taste coming up his throat and clenched his fists unconsciously. Who was Brian why did Gabriella have him?

* * *

**Whew! There it is! As of right now, Gabriella and Brian are still together, Troy is just trying to make things easier (although clearly, he doesn't know his ex has moved on!), and drama ensues. Lol. It might be confusing as to why Gabriella hasn't broken up with Brian yet, but remember, they have been dating for quite some time and the full reason as to why she doesn't let go as easily will be discussed. =)**

**I hope you guys enjoyed it! I had fun writing this one, I love doing flashbacks. =) Please review and leave some constructive criticism, I'd really appreciate it! Thanks! =)**


	5. Chapter 5: Surprises

**Hi, everyone! Okay, sorry for the long wait, but here's another chapter! Thank you guys so much for the reviews, I really appreciate the feedback. =) **

**This one moves sort of quickly and it's not my absolute favorite, but I had to get something up - I was feeling guilty. =P Lol. In the last chapter, Troy finds out about Brian and Troy & Gabi have an awkward encounter. I've decided to skip ahead a couple of days, so here you go. =)**

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**Chapter 5**

It was a warm Thursday evening and in the Montez-Evans household, three different conversations were taking place. Zeke had offered to cook dinner, so he was busy in the kitchen, singing along to himself as he worked. Sharpay was in the living room with her agent, who had stopped by for a quick visit to rearrange her scheduling around the new guest role she had just landed. All was fairly quiet, except for Gabriella, who was involved in a tense argument with Brian, over the phone.

"You're canceling? Brian, this dinner has been planned for months! We've postponed it because of you!"

"Sorry, Gabs. Work is insane right now, I've got a million write-ups to finish and new proposals to look over for the practice," he explained. Gabriella rolled her eyes, sighing loudly. Things had gone from bad to worse between them in the past few days, with Brian only coming over on Saturday nights. Even then, they had mostly ordered take-out and popped in a movie, while he tapped away at his phone, clearly distracted. Gabriella had hoped that Zeke's dinner would be a way to test Brian, but he was failing before he even got there.

"Yeah, I get it," she said flatly.

"I'm sorry, sweetie,"

"Whatever," she hung up on him, throwing her phone on her bed, watching it bounce across the mattress. She hadn't gotten a chance to talk with Brian about her thoughts; in fact, he didn't even know that Troy was back in town. Gabriella wanted to end things with Brian, but a part of her felt she was holding on to something safe and familiar by staying with him. Pushing her hair off her shoulders exasperatedly, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen, where Sharpay was opening a bottle of wine and Zeke was busy at the stove.

"Hi, girlie! Could you take out two beers for the boys, real quick?" Sharpay smiled at her, pouring out the dark red liquid into two glasses.

"Uh, I'll just get one. Brian's not coming," she replied uncomfortably, turning her back on the room to open the fridge. Behind her, she heard Zeke's cooking come to a standstill and Sharpay's sharp intake of breath filled the room.

"He's…not coming," the blonde repeated, tapping her fingernails against the kitchen island.

"No. He's busy with work and…I'm really sorry, you guys," she sighed, opening the green bottle and handing it to Zeke. "Especially to you, this dinner looks amazing and really, it's his loss," she shrugged.

"Hey, it's no big deal, right? You girls will just have a lot of leftovers, no problem," Zeke grinned easily, loping an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "Right, Shar?"

"He's…Gabi, why are you dating him?" Sharpay spat out. Gabriella blinked several times, trying to process her blunt words.

"Excuse me?"

"Why are you dating him? He flakes out on everything! I've seen you two when he comes over, it's like he's dating his iPhone, not you!" she burst out, causing Gabriella's eyes to widen in shock. "I mean, do you even love him?" she asked, her voice small. Gabriella noticed Zeke had shrunk away, leaving the two girls face-to-face.

"Sharpay, it's complicated, okay? Just leave it be," the brunette replied tiredly.

"You didn't answer my question," Sharpay stated, crossing her arms across her chest. Her last words hung in the air, enveloping them in a tense silence, before the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," she said, to no one in particular and left the kitchen. Gabriella breathed a sigh of relief, leaning against the kitchen counter. Her best friend had laid out what she had always been afraid to ask herself and somehow, the accusation that Gabriella didn't truly love Brian was one that struck too close to home. She took a sip of her drink, trying to calm down and collect her thoughts. Sharpay was right – she knew that. She knew that she couldn't keep leading Brian on and although she didn't doubt he loved her, she knew their love wasn't passionate or intense enough to last. But Gabriella didn't want to let go of what kept her safe and protected. He was like a shield, a distraction from the possibility that pain – real, true, heart-wrenching pain – existed.

"You okay?" Zeke had sidled up to Gabriella, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"She might be right," Gabriella whispered softly.

"Gabi, nobody knows your relationship with Brian more than you. Let you be the judge of you, not Sharpay," he advised, tucking a strand of curly dark hair behind her ear affectionately.

"Zeke? Is it okay if we have a guest tonight?" a voice interrupted.

"Your house, babe," Zeke shrugged at Sharpay, who was now leaning against the doorframe.

"Great! Troy's here," she announced with a grin that took over half her face. Gabriella's heart began pounding and without any further notice, she saw his familiar figure step into the kitchen.

* * *

"Thanks for letting me stay for dinner, you guys. Sorry to show up randomly," Troy said, handing his plate to Zeke.

"Oh, no worries. There was enough for four in the beginning, anyway," Sharpay explained. "See, Brian was supposed to be here,"

"I see," Troy took another swig of his beer, leaning against the kitchen counter. "And why wasn't he?"

"Why don't you tell him that story, Gabi?" Sharpay narrowed her eyes at her roommate. Gabriella inhaled deeply, composing herself. Dinner had been beyond awkward. Sharpay was irritated with her, while Gabriella was just trying to breathe normally around Troy.

"He's busy with work," Gabriella shot back, through gritted teeth.

"As always. You know, since he's _so _in demand, with all the broken limbs around California nowadays. It's like he's the only physiologist in the _world_," the blonde said, her voice tinged with malice and sarcasm.

"Uh, right," Troy nodded uncomfortably.

"I'll be in the living room," Gabriella said to no one in particular, turning on her heel and walking out of the kitchen. Troy noticed Sharpay blink twice in shock, as if she couldn't believe her best friend had walked away from a fight, but she covered it up quickly and went back to helping Zeke load the dishwasher.

"Troy, you don't have to stay in here. We can finish up," Zeke lifted his head in acknowledgement and Troy nodded slightly, before grabbing his beer and walking towards the living room. He wasn't quite sure where he and Gabriella stood with each other, but for now, he worried about her relationship with Sharpay. Leaning against the door frame, he saw her sitting on the couch, legs curled underneath her. Her dark hair was styled in a messy up-do and several loose strands framed her face. She had an arm propped up on the side of the couch, holding her glass of wine and she looked peaceful, yet disturbed all at the same time. Breathing deeply, Troy plucked up his courage and went to sit next to her.

"You all right?" he asked tentatively.

"I'm fine," she replied, not facing him.

"Gabi,"

"She thinks I don't love Brian," she blurted out after a hesitant pause.

"Oh,"

"She thinks I could do better," Gabriella sniffled and turned to face Troy. As her eyes met his, Troy immediately wanted to wrap her in his arms and wipe away the hurt. They hadn't spoken properly to each other since the coffee shop encounter, but Troy couldn't help but realize how easy it was to fall back into the same conversation and routine with her.

"I see," he nodded, instead.

"She's mad because she's got the perfect relationship and she thinks I'm wasting my time," Gabriella said, again, her voice growing smaller. Troy placed a comforting arm on her shoulder, which caused her to flinch slightly, before leaning back into the couch.

"She'll get over it," he shrugged.

"Maybe. Troy, I…" Gabriella started, wanting to tell him about her plans to end things with Brian. At the moment, he seemed like a safer bet than Sharpay. "Things with Brian have been so…" she started again, before the loud sound of a door slamming shut echoed throughout the house.

"Gabriella! Sharpay! Living room, now!" a voice screamed, just as Taylor and Chad barreled into the room, clutching each other's hands. Her face was pink with excitement, while an easy, satisfied grin played across Chad's lips.

"Tay? What's going on?" Gabriella jumped up, immediately distancing herself away from Troy's grasp. At the same time, Sharpay and Zeke walked into the living room, puzzled looks on their faces.

"Okay. Well, we were wishing everybody was here, but I can't wait for the others, so I'm just going to say it," Taylor nodded excitedly. "We're engaged!" she announced. Sharpay's mouth dropped, before screaming loudly and immediately ran to hug Taylor, followed closely by Gabriella. As the girls jumped up and down in excitement, Troy and Zeke congratulated Chad, thumping him on the back and playfully punching each other.

"This is unbelievable! This is amazing! Tay, I know exactly who's going to do your wedding dress! Daddy can place a couple of calls to Marchesa, but I'm thinking Vera Wang might be more your style," Sharpay rambled, grabbing Taylor and dragging her towards the kitchen. "I'm getting champagne so we can celebrate!" she shouted back.

"Come on, man," Zeke chuckled, slinging an arm around Chad's shoulders and leading him out of the living room. Troy took a deep breath and started to follow, but a faint sound interrupted him. Looking back, he saw Gabriella's wide eyes, her fingers clutching her arms as if they were supporting the full weight of her body.

"Gabi? Is everything okay?" he asked, reaching out towards her.

"I can't believe it. Tay's getting married. They're…they're the first," she whispered softly, looking up at Troy. His heart clenched at the sight of her chocolate brown eyes brimming with tears and in that split second, his mind was brought back to a time when things were simpler. When they were both in love and happy. When they had been the ones who were supposed to take the next step. _'And it would've worked out, if it hadn't been for all the wrong reasons,'_ he thought to himself.

* * *

Gabriella sat on her comfortable loveseat, watching the raindrops decorate her windows. It was nights like this that she grew contemplative, nights when Sharpay would be out with Zeke and she would get the house to herself. Their fight had dissipated shortly after Taylor and Chad made their big announcement and it was almost as if it never happened; that was the way their friendship worked. Gabriella curled up underneath her wool blanket, clutching her mug of steaming hot chocolate tightly. Her life seemed like a mess of complications at the moment, but at the same time, it felt like things had come to a complete stand-still. There was Brian, who, technically, was still her boyfriend. He was sweet and caring when he wanted to be, he was successful and driven, but there was no passion and no fire in their relationship. As much as breaking up with Brian made sense to her and all her friends, Gabriella couldn't bring herself to do it for fear of being alone. Then there was Troy, her ex-boyfriend. He stirred emotions that she thought were long gone and her attraction to him was undeniable after all these years. Troy, although a familiar and prominent part of her past, was unpredictable and wild, when it came to taking a chance on her heart. She couldn't say no to him, but she couldn't keep testing their boundaries, either. There was Sharpay, her best friend, who had an amazing, epic, fairytale concept of love and believed with all her heart that Gabriella could achieve it. She didn't know how to break it to her best friend – that she was torn between practicality and passion, between logic and desire. There was Taylor and Chad, the golden couple that were now on their way to be married. It was as if Gabriella was looking at relationships in three different stages: engagement and commitment through Taylor and Chad, blissful happiness through Sharpay and Zeke, and utter confusion through her own.

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**There it is! Okay, like I said, it's not my absolute favorite chapter, but I kinda needed to get it out of my system. Lol. What do you guys think of Taylor & Chad's announcement? I'm really loving how they're the stable relationship in this story. =) I've been getting annoyed with Brian's character lately, I think he's ended up falling flat, so I guess that's why I don't write about him much. =S **

**Let me know what you guys think! I love the reviews. =)**


	6. Chapter 6: The Beginning of Everything

**Hey, everybody! First off, thanks for all the reviews and the all the feedback I've gotten from the beginning of this, it's been really amazing and such motivation to keep writing! =) I felt like I was on a roll from the last chapter and there was so much I wanted to develop, so I started working on this one right away – I hope you like it!**

**I really like this chapter and I hope you guys do too. Enjoy! =)**

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**Chapter 6**

Gabriella locked her car and stuffed her keys into her oversized bag, before slinging it over her shoulder. Dressed casually in skinny jeans, boots, a loose, white tank top, and her favorite sunglasses, she strode into the small café, taking her place at a corner table. Across from her sat Brian, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat, sipping his coffee. Gabriella was surprised when he invited her out for brunch, but decided to see him, despite being irritated with his recent behavior.

"You look nice," he commented, resting his elbows on the table.

"Thanks," she smiled, pushing her sunglasses on top of her head. After ordering quickly, she turned back towards him, noticing he had dark circles underneath his eyes. "What's up? You look exhausted,"

"It's the damn practice. It's taking longer to get everything set up," he said, running a hand through his brown hair. "If it's not looking for people to hire, it's construction, or licenses, or permits," he shrugged.

"Well, it'll all be worth it when you're calling the shots," she gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Yeah. Anyway, that's why I wanted to see you. I feel like we've been really disconnected lately and I think we just need to get back on the same page," he said carefully. Brian reached over and grabbed one of Gabriella's small hands, clutching it gently. "I realize I've been kind of an ass lately. To be honest, it was Zeke who pointed it out," he admitted sheepishly. Gabriella's eyes grew wide.

"Zeke? What'd he say?" she asked, afraid Brian would bring up her fight with Sharpay from several nights ago.

"Just that you deserve to be treated better. And he's right. I've been a complete jerk, totally focused on work and not at all focused on you. I'm going to try and change that, Gabi," he said, his thumb tracing small circles on the back of her hand. Gabriella's heart soared slightly, she realized this was what she had wanted from Brian – just a reassurance that he was invested, that he cared.

"I...um…" she stammered, at a loss for words.

"I just want to make things right again. And I'd really like us to move forward, Gabi. I love you and I want to make it work," he said sincerely. "Could we do that?" he asked, looking up at her. Gabriella swallowed, collecting her thoughts. An alarm went off in the back of her mind; she realized this was her opportunity to make the perfect exit. All she needed to do was say, 'No, we can't,' and move on. But a part of her was scared, terrified of being alone. Maybe Sharpay wouldn't agree and Gabriella wasn't entirely sure she understood it, but it was pathetic – this sick need to feel loved and accepted by a man. She was well aware of the habit, conscious of her self-destructive behavior, but she couldn't stop herself.

"Of course we can," she whispered softly, leaning over the table to place a reassuring kiss on Brian's cheek.

* * *

When Troy was ten years old, his father took him to his first professional basketball game. They were on a trip in California and it was at the Staples Center, between the Lakers and the Celtics. Troy, captivated by the game, had stayed quiet as he watched the players race across the court, effortlessly tossing the ball to each other and forcing it into the basket. His father pointed out his favorites and their vital stats, but the only thing Troy noticed was the hint of magic in the players' eyes. They had a thirst and a hunger to win, but they were like little kids once they stepped out on the court. They were humbled to be playing in the NBA, honored and grateful. Troy realized then that it didn't matter if you were good at the game. You could score all the points and make a thousand assists, but none of it counted unless you had the passion and the drive to be the best. None of it meant anything unless you cherished that court. Since then, Troy promised he would never lose sight of the heart of basketball. He promised himself he would be passionate and that he would be driven, ambitious, and dedicated to the game, just like the players he had seen on the court that day.

Troy met Gabriella when he was sixteen. She was the new girl – smart, quiet, and possessed a kind of presence that pulled everybody in. He was the golden boy – varsity basketball captain, popular, and dating the head cheerleader. After a chance encounter at one of Chad's parties, Troy couldn't keep his mind off her. Several weeks later, after a bitter breakup on his side, fate played its part and paired them together as Chemistry lab partners. The rest came easily as they took East High by storm. Gabriella shined in every Scholastic Decathlon, while Troy took his team to back-to-back championships. They broke down social barriers, scoring lead roles in the school's musicals and taking part in consecutive talent shows. Somewhere along the way, they fell in love. Troy had dated a lot of girls, but he knew – and so did everybody else – that Gabriella was different. Before her, he had been preoccupied with basketball and nothing else. He was focused on getting a scholarship, on being the best, and searching for that magic he had seen on the court when he was ten years old. When Gabriella showed up, he found a different kind of magic, this time; they appeared in the chocolate-brown eyes of a girl he loved.

* * *

"So, Game on Saturday night is booked for us?" Taylor asked, shuffling papers around the coffee table. It was several days after announcing their engagement to their best friends and Taylor and Chad were busy planning the last-minute details on their engagement party that weekend.

"All done. Zeke had to change a couple of reservations, but we get top priority, seeing as how we own the damn place," Chad laughed, ruffling his girlfriend's hair affectionately. He was stretched out on the couch comfortably after a long day of choreographing a basketball scene for a new movie.

"Did you call your parents yet? Mine aren't flying in since Daddy still has to rest after his surgery, but I'm really hoping your parents can make it," Taylor said distractedly. She was busy tapping her pencil against the coffee table, clicking her tongue as her finger ran down the guest list.

"Tay? Chill," he sat up and grabbed her by the arms, dropping a quick kiss on her head. "Everything's taken care of. I called Mom and Dad, they're flying in tomorrow. Lucy can't make it, but she sends her love," he added, referring to his younger sister who attended college in Albuquerque. "Now will you relax? You're giving me the heebie-jeebies," he chuckled softly.

"I'm sorry," she apologized swiftly. "It's just a lot of stuff is coming at us really fast. The engagement party this weekend, then Sharpay's premiere the next, Brian's opening party…it's a lot,"

"Do we really have to go to Brian's opening? I mean, he's just going to cut a ribbon and declare his practice official, right?" Chad groaned.

"Well, there's an open bar,"

"Scratch that, I'm first in line," he laughed.

"Speaking of Brian...have you talked to him recently?"

"No more than the usual. Why?"

"Something's been bugging me, that's all," Taylor said, getting up from her position on the floor and sitting on the couch, propping her legs up across Chad's lap.

"What's up?"

"When we told Gabriella that we were engaged, she was happy and everything, but there was something…vacant in her eyes. It's my best friend intuition kicking in,"

"You sure you're not imagining it?" Chad asked thoughtfully.

"No, I'm positive it was there. Sharpay told me they had gotten into a fight before we got there – her and Gabriella,"

"Was it serious?"

"No, it's blown over by now. But Shar pointed out the fact that Gabi and Brian aren't working well together and Gabi didn't deny it. She just got super quiet and walked away from the fight," Taylor recounted, chewing on her nail nervously. "I just wonder if there's more to the story,"

"Sharpay's got a point. Brian and Gabi aren't exactly the strongest or most committed of all couples. But look at where she's coming from – her and Zeke have been together for ages," Chad said, massaging Taylor's legs affectionately.

"Yeah, I'm not disagreeing with her. I just want to know what's going on in Gabi's head. She's there when we hang out, but she's not really…_there_, you know? I just wonder sometimes if Brian even knows Troy is in town,"

"Whoa. This is about Troy?" Chad sat up straighter, his eyebrows raised with interest and concern.

"When isn't it, honey?"

"I just thought since Brian was in the picture, things were easing up,"

"Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but Troy's back in town and Gabriella's been tense ever since," Taylor noted, smiling slightly at the confused look on her fiancé's face. "I'll try and get it out of her, but it's probably nothing," she assured him, leaning in close.

"I don't know. If Troy's got something to do with this…Gabi's like my little sister," Chad mused.

"Baby, I promise, it's probably nothing. Let's just focus on the engagement party and then the wedding, okay?" Taylor said cheerfully, giving her fiancé a quick kiss on the cheek. Chad grinned and kissed her back enthusiastically, but somewhere, in the back of their minds, they knew something didn't sit right.

* * *

Troy sat on the edge of his couch, one hand running through his hair and the other spinning his phone nervously. He had just got back to the hotel suite he was living in temporarily after a strenuous practice with the team and he was debating whether or not calling Gabriella would be the right thing to do. They hadn't spoken since their conversation in her living room and after her tearful admission that Taylor and Chad were the first to be engaged, Zeke had poked his head in and called them to the kitchen to celebrate. Troy wanted to talk to her, wanted to tell her that the news had hurt him too. He tugged forcefully at his hair, as his mind brought itself back to Albuquerque.

_-FLASHBACK-_

_It was summer in New Mexico and the sun cast an unbearable heat over the city of Albuquerque. Troy was back home for the holidays, after his first year away at college and after a long-awaited homemade meal from his mother, he was shooting hoops in the backyard basketball court his father had built a long time ago. He dribbled the ball expertly, passing it through his legs before going for a layup, smiling when he heard the familiar swish of the net as the ball fell through._

_ "Hey, stranger," a soft, melodic voice caused him to look up and Troy found himself looking at a familiar face. _

_ "Gabriella," he grinned, dropping the basketball and crossing the court to pick her up in his arms and lift her off the ground. She squealed in surprise and Troy buried his nose in her hair, remembering the soft traces of her perfume._

_ "Your game looks good, Bolton," she teased, tucking away strands of her hair, after he set her down._

_ "You know how it is," he shot her a lopsided smile. They stood there, gazing at each other for a moment, memorizing the way the other looked, re-committing it to memory. It had been a five months without her, Troy thought. He missed the way her eyes lit up, the way her hair framed her face, the way she stood with her hands on her hips. He had spent days building her up in his head and now that she was standing in front of him again, he couldn't believe how much better the real Gabriella was. "Hey, let's jump in the pool," he suggested._

_ "Oh, thank God. I was hoping you'd say that," she smiled, pulling his arm to lead them towards the Bolton's pool. "California heat has got nothing on Albuquerque weather," Troy watched as she pulled her pink tank top over her head, tossing it onto a deck chair. He stood mesmerized, as she pushed her denim skirt past her hips and kicked off her flip-flops._

_ "Have I told you how much I've missed you?" he said in a low, husky voice._

_ "Not today," she smirked, twirling in her black bikini, before easing herself into the pool. "Oh my god, this feels amazing," she groaned. Troy licked his lips, before jumping into the pool and pulling her close to his body. He kissed her shoulders and her neck, working his way to her lips._

_ "You happy to be back home?" he whispered, their foreheads touching, their limbs entangled underwater._

_ "I'm ecstatic. Mama's going crazy, feeding me all the time. Oh, I dropped off some brownies in your kitchen before I came out to see you," she chuckled. "What about you?"_

_ "Same. Albuquerque's always going to be home, you know?" he shrugged. "When you and I get married, we're moving back here," he said thoughtfully._

_ "What happened to playing for the Lakers?"_

_ "Oh, we'll live in LA, too. Just, when we're retired and all that…we're moving back home," he grinned, pecking her lightly on the lips. "That okay with you, Montez?" he asked, playfully._

_ "As long as I'm with you, Bolton," she giggled. "Do you really think we'll be the first to get married?" she asked him, her eyes wide._

_ "It'll be us, just you watch," Troy answered, his voice full with promise and hope, pulling his girlfriend in for a sweet kiss._

He blinked, letting the light from his hotel suite fill his eyes. The memories of him and Gabriella talking about their future had been pushed so far back that when they resurfaced, they hit him with full force. Troy had been avoiding it for so long, he had almost let himself believe his relationship with Gabriella was truly over. But he knew now that it couldn't be over, because there were so many things left unsaid. Troy knew she didn't love Brian. That was what she was trying to tell him the other night in her living room. He didn't know how he knew that – he just did. After so many years of dating someone, it was amazing how much of their personality and their facial expressions you could remember. And for Troy, he knew she wasn't in love with Brian. _'But does that mean she's still in love with you?'_ he thought. He shook his head, trying to clear out his thoughts. Looking down at his phone, he saw her name in his contacts folder. In a moment of impulse, his thumb clicked the dial button and he held the phone close.

"Hello?" her voice filled his ears immediately and his heart started to pound. Why was he calling? What was the point again?

"Hey. It's…Troy," he managed, swallowing nervously.

"Um. Hi," she answered. She was being friendly, but hesitant.

"So…what's up?"

"Actually...um, Troy, this is kind of a bad time. You're on loudspeaker, I'm driving," she chuckled lightly.

"Oh, geez, I'm sorry, of course you've got plans," he smacked his hand on his forehead and rolled his eyes at himself. This wasn't going the way he planned it.

"Yeah, it's just…well, I'm on my way to Brian's for dinner,"

"Of course you are. I'll…I'll catch you later," he squeezed his eyes shut, letting her information sink into him.

"Okay. Talk to you soon, Troy," she said softly, before hanging up. Troy exhaled loudly, tossing his phone onto the seat next to him and leaning back against the couch. Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe Gabriella was in love with Brian and she was telling him to back off, to not mess it up. Maybe Troy and Gabriella really did only have one shot at happiness and they had lost that chance a long time ago.

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**So, there you go! I really hope I got everything across in this chapter. I'm not liking Brian too much (I guess that's the whole point. Lol), but I felt like the Gabi/Brian interaction was very much needed. As for Taylor and Chad, I just wanted to throw that in there, because their relationship is so stable and adorable. =P We get to see a deeper side of Troy, going back into his memories, which I love, because I really like doing flashbacks! =)**

**I hope you guys liked it! Please read and review, I'd really appreciate it! =) Xoxo.**


	7. Chapter 7: Are You True?

**Hi everybody! First off, thanks to everyone who reads and review this fanfic...I know I say it all the time, but I really do appreciate it. Keep sending me constructive criticism because I really do take it into account and I do want to improve my writing, so anything you've got, I'll take! =P**

**Anyway, here's chapter 7! I really love this chapter, I feel like it sort of wrote itself and I just couldn't stop writing it - hopefully I cut it off at the right moment. Lol. Nonetheless, please read and enjoy! =)**

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**Chapter 7: Are You True?**

"Are you sure this isn't going to be awkward?" Gabriella asked, biting her lip and tapping her fingernails against the steering wheel nervously. Brian sat in the passenger seat of her car, balancing a six-pack of beer on his lap. "I mean, he's my ex-boyfriend and we've been doing so well lately…" she trailed off, sneaking a peek at Brian.

"Gabi, it'll be fine. Relax, will you?" he chuckled, giving her a quick kiss on the lips, before unbuckling his seatbelt and heading out of the car. Gabriella sighed exasperatedly. It had been several weeks since she and Brian patched things up and things were better than ever. They had been out on a number of dates, he had become more attentive, and even Sharpay and Taylor were nodding their approval at his recent behavior. It felt nice having his arms around her again and in those past few weeks, life had seemed blissfully easier. _'Until your stupid ex-boyfriend decided to invite everybody over to his new place for a housewarming party,'_ she thought to herself bitterly, getting out of the car.

"Looks like everybody else is already here," she pointed out, noticing Zeke and Chad's cars, alongside a number of unknown sports cars and trucks. Brian just nodded, taking Gabriella's hand in his and walking up towards the front door. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell and waited anxiously.

"Hey! You made it!" the door flung open and Gabriella's breath caught in her throat. Troy was dressed in board shorts, but it was the absence of a t-shirt that made her blink dumbly in his presence.

"Uh…hi," she said breathlessly. She looked past Troy, forcing herself not to linger too long on his bare torso and the way he ran through his wet hair with his hands, pushing it all away from his face – something she used to do regularly for him.

"And this would be?" Troy chuckled, gesturing towards Brian.

"Oh. Brian, this is Troy. Troy…Brian," she mumbled, shifting uncomfortably.

"Hey, man," Troy shook her boyfriend's hand courteously and invited them inside. "So, this is it. Everybody's out back – Zeke's got the grill going – and you can jump in the pool if you want, it's frigging hot out," Troy shrugged his shoulders. "The girls are laying out and Brian, you're coming with me, because I want some of that beer you're holding," Troy laughed, slapping a hand on Brian's shoulder and leading him into the kitchen. Gabriella stared after them a while, in shock. She had been nervous and anxious to visit Troy's house, simply because of the fact that they hadn't spoken since he had randomly called her while she was on her way to Brian's. Then, there was the added fact that he was meeting her boyfriend – that was never a comfortable situation. Gabriella decided to go with the flow and not worry, maybe if Troy and Brian became friends, things would be easier and she wouldn't feel as if she would be tiptoeing around them anymore.

She made her way towards the sounds of people in the backyard, stopping to look at several pictures that caught her eye. Gabriella knew Troy couldn't have possibly done the house by himself, but she appreciated whoever did. It was warm and cozy, accented with dark, earthy tones and it looked as if a family lived in it, not a professional basketball player who was also a bachelor. She decided to explore a little and opened the door nearest to her, revealing the study room. Plaques and certificates decorated the walls and a huge trophy case stood in one corner, holding Troy's proudest achievements. She saw a stack of papers and his laptop open and decided he probably used the room as a home office. On impulse, Gabriella stepped behind the desk and gasped. A picture file had been opened and it hovered in the screen, an image of her, in high school. It was taken during a random trip to Lake Mesa in their senior year and she had just gotten out of the water. Gabriella remembered she had sat down on the rocks, looking out at the gorgeous lake ahead of her, as the wind whipped her hair away from her face. In the picture, she was serene, thoughtful, and completely at peace. There was calmness in her eyes, mixed with fire and determination – the picture of a girl getting ready to face her future head-on.

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'_The party's going well,'_ Troy thought to himself, sitting on the edge of his pool, dangling his feet in the water. Chad and Zeke were mingling with some of the guys from the team, while Sharpay and Kelsi were discussing bachelorette parties without the guidance of Taylor, who was chatting with Martha and Jason on the other side of the backyard. Out of the corner of his eyes, Troy noticed Gabriella and Brian sharing a deck chair, her back leaning against his chest. The image brought up a longing pain, but he quickly numbed it with another swig of beer. Brian was a good guy, he decided. He had had a chance to talk with him earlier and although Troy seemed to find him too invested in his job, he appreciated the passion and hard work ethic Brian had to get to where he was now.

"Hey, Hoops," Chad appeared, plopping down next to him, ruffling a hand through his best friend's hair playfully.

"Hey," Troy replied.

"Great party, man. Those guys are really something," he gestured towards Troy's teammates.

"Yeah, they're a good bunch," Troy nodded in agreement. The best friends sat in silence, watching Jason throw Kelsi into the pool, and Sharpay scolding Zeke for almost getting her bikini wet. If Troy closed his eyes at that moment, he could almost imagine that they were back in high school, hanging out at the Evans' house on a random weekend. The thought made him nostalgic and even a little sad.

"Well, paradise didn't last long," Chad piped up. Troy followed his gaze to Gabriella and Brian, who were fighting in a corner of the backyard. "Looks like Brian's really in for it," he pointed out. Troy watched the scene intently, recognizing the familiar ways Gabriella's face conveyed her expressions. She was always so expressive. He saw the way her eyebrows scrunched down in frustration, the way she flung her hands about wildly, and how her dark, chocolate eyes darkened with anger.

"I wonder what happened," he mused out loud.

"Don't even bother. Those two are a rollercoaster. You just keep waiting for the next drop," Chad rolled his eyes, as the two men walked towards the grill, where Zeke, Sharpay, and Taylor stood.

"Are you talking about Gabi?" Sharpay asked, her hands on her hips. Chad nodded. "I totally don't get it. She keeps going back to him, you know?"

"Geez, Shar, maybe because she loves him? That's pretty important," Zeke chuckled, earning him a glare from his girlfriend.

"It's not that. She's just scared to…" Taylor trailed off, recognizing that Gabriella's ex-boyfriend was in the group. "It's just complicated," she finished. Troy picked up on Taylor's hesitation and pouted for a quick second, before jumping back into the conversation.

"Brian seems like a good guy. I got a chance to talk with him for a sec. He's got a good head on his shoulders,"

"Yeah, he's decent. But Gabi doesn't deserve just 'decent.' She deserves amazing," Sharpay whispered softly. The five friends turned to look at Gabriella, when they suddenly saw the petite brunette lunge for the phone in her boyfriend's hands and proceed to fling it into the pool.

"If you want to spend the entire time talking to Ashley, I suggest you go be her boyfriend and stay the hell away from me!" Gabriella screamed, stomping into the house.

The backyard was silent for a moment. Gabriella rarely lost her temper and when she did, it was for a good reason – Troy knew that, all their friends did. Brian stood, shocked and confused, his hands still in the same position they had been when he was clutching his phone. Troy noticed the look in his eyes – it was guilt. Anger bubbled up inside of him as his fists clenched instinctively at his sides. His blue eyes darkened with rage and he began to move forward, intent on punching the idiot in the face – if it hadn't been for Chad, who held him back and punched Brian square in the jaw, hard enough for the both of them.

* * *

Gabriella slunk against the wall, plopping to the floor and clutching her knees to her chest. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her shoulders shook from crying, and her heart felt like it was up in her throat. It was an hour after she had stormed out of the backyard in a fit of dramatic rage – she knew Sharpay would be proud of her for that. _'It was the last straw,'_ she thought bitterly to herself. They had been having a good time, until Brian got a text from his assistant at work. Since then, things had gone downhill. He had become withdrawn, sullen, and had wanted to leave. He had left his phone on the side table when a text message had popped up, stirring Gabriella's curiosity. She had taken a quick peek and quickly discovered that it wasn't "work" Brian was texting. It was a girl named Ashley, an intern at the practice, who wanted to know when he would be done with his "demanding, boring girlfriend." The conversations were sick, dirty, and downright nauseating. Simply put, Gabriella had lost it. She didn't mean to throw his phone in the pool – for that, she was sorry about. But she meant it when she told him to stay away. Gabriella would put up with a lot of things from Brian, but cheating on her was not one of them. She gasped, as another wave of sobs washed over her and she ran her hands through her stringy, damp hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. Had Brian been playing her the whole time? Why had he bothered to try and make things better with her? How could she have never seen it coming?

* * *

"Thanks for coming, guys," Troy shut the door, saying goodbye to the last few partygoers. Troy made his way towards the kitchen, where the old Wildcat gang milled around, just like old times. It was little things like this that still amazed him, how the environment and the circumstances were different, but their friendship remained the same.

"He's an ass," Kelsi spat out, her fingers twirling one of her braids.

"I can't believe he was cheating on Gabi the whole time!" Martha cried.

"He's just lucky I didn't get my hands on him," Sharpay said, through gritted teeth. After Chad had pummeled Brian in the face, he had taken off, driving himself to the hospital.

"Does anybody know where Gabi is?" Taylor asked worriedly. She stood in front of Chad, holding an ice pack to his fist. They had all decided to leave Gabriella alone for a while, so she could clear her head.

"I have no idea, actually. She could be anywhere, this house is massive," Zeke piped up. "Or she could've just left,"

"Well, unless she hijacked one of our cars, I think it's safe to say she's in this house," Jason pointed out. Troy remained quiet, as the group continued to chat about the Gabriella and Brian situation. The anger he was feeling before had dissipated, dulling to a soft flicker of annoyance and irritation.

"Alright, let's look for her," he spoke up, earning a chorus of agreement around the kitchen. "Chad and Taylor, you guys look in the backyard. Check the pool-house, the basketball court, and the gym. Jason, Kelsi, and Martha, you guys take the front; see if she went to that park down the road or something. Zeke and Sharpay, take the basement and the first floor. The game room, the movie room, and the study. I'll look upstairs," he ordered, mentally cursing Hilary for persuading him to get such a huge house. It was a little ridiculous; he was only one person, after all. The gang split up and Troy made his way upstairs, stopping in several bedrooms, calling out her name. It was like an adult game of hide-and-seek, except a lot less light-hearted. No one wanted to see Gabriella hurt; it was as simple as that. For Brian to cause her such public humiliation and pain – it was suicide. She was the baby of the group and everybody protected her fiercely and lovingly. Sharpay and Taylor were quick to come to her defenses and first in line to scream at anybody who did their best friend wrong. Martha and Kelsi had introduced Gabriella to the world of song and dance, giving her a safe place to land. Chad, Zeke, and Jason were her big brothers, always the first to throw a punch to whoever hurt her or broke her heart or made her cry. And Troy was...well, he didn't quite know who he was to her anymore. But there was a point in time when he was her everything.

"Did you find her yet?" a panicked Sharpay cried out from downstairs.

"Not yet! I've got a few rooms to go!" he shouted back, making his way towards the laundry room, tucked away in a small alcove. Pushing open the heavy door, his eyes blinked fast, adjusting to the darkness. He made out a small, shaking figure rocking back and forth in the far corner of the room. Troy flicked the light on and lifted his lips slightly, as a soft dim cast over the room. Her hair was falling out of its ponytail, spilling over her shoulders, and her eyes were red and puffy. Still, Troy was certain she was the most beautiful person on Earth.

"What…what are you…?" Gabriella trailed off, noticing the intrusion. "Troy, I'm just…I'm fine…" she attempted to get to her feet, but somewhere between actually standing up and falling flat on the ground, her knees gave out and Troy rushed to her side, holding her close.

"Hey," he said softly. "Just take it easy, okay? Come on, let's get you downstairs,"

"No!" she cried. "No. Just…he's there…and you're here…it's always going to end up this way…" she mumbled deliriously. Troy looked down at the wrecked young woman he held in his arms and for a split second, considered calling Sharpay for help. Instead, he guided them both back to the floor, leaning their backs against the wall.

"Okay, okay. We'll…we'll just hang out here, okay?" he assured her, stroking her hair and brushing back strands from her face. She nodded meekly and curled up against his chest, her head tucked neatly underneath his chin. She let out a content, albeit shaky, sigh and her eyes fluttered. "Get some sleep, Gabriella. We'll get it all sorted out, I promise you," he murmured.

* * *

Several minutes later, after Gabriella had fallen asleep on Troy's shoulder, he had swiftly picked her up and carried her downstairs, letting Sharpay and Zeke drive her back home. The entire ordeal was far too familiar for him. He flopped onto his couch, resting his elbows on his knees and ran his hands over his face; struggling to keep a hold on the mess of emotions he was experiencing. He was angry with Brian for hurting Gabriella. He was jealous of Sharpay and Zeke for being able to take her home. He was disappointed in himself, for believing Brian was a decent man. But he felt a million different emotions directed at Gabriella herself. He was angry at her, for making him care again. He was worried about her and concerned for her wellbeing. Most of all, he was scared out of his mind. Because it wasn't the first time he had found Gabriella crying and completely incoherent. And it terrified him, he realized, sinking back into the couch, letting the memories fall over him.

* * *

**Well, there it is! Chapter 7. =) Like I said, I really like this chapter, hopefully you guys do, too. We're starting to see more of Troy and what goes on in his head, but both he and Gabriella are keeping things bottled up and refusing to acknowledge that they really did have a past - something that'll definitely be discussed in the near future! Brian's an asshole, but don't write him off just yet. How cute are Sharpay & Zeke? I love writing their relationship! =) No flashbacks in this chapter, but there'll be more in the next, so stay tuned! **

**Please read, please review, it means a lot! Thanks so much! =)**


	8. Chapter 8: The Thunderstorm

**Hey everybody! First off, thanks for all the reviews you guys have given me - it's so appreciated! Also thanks to Fairyvixenmaiden, for sending a nice message my way! If you guys ever want to ask me anything or tell me something you don't want people to read in the reviews, feel free to PM me or something. =) Also, was down for a while, so it's been a struggle getting this chapter up...but here it is!**

**Let me tell you, I really enjoyed writing this one. I feel like it's got some major development and you get to see how Troy and Gabriella interact...so fun. =) Also, I don't know if huge thunderstorms happen in LA often..but whatever, this chapter takes place during a rare thunderstorm in LA. =P Anyway, here it is, enjoy! =D Oh, and, it's pretty common sense, but basically, italics = flashback. There you go!**

* * *

**Chapter 8: The Thunderstorm**

He dribbled the ball expertly, maneuvering it through his legs, before executing the perfect jump shot. Catching the rebound, Troy proceeded to shoot five easy layups, before getting interrupted.

"This reminds me of high school," her voice was soft, quiet, and almost timid. He turned to face her and immediately fought the urge to sweep her up in his arms. Her eyes were red and puffy, her hair a tangled mess, and her face bare of its usual makeup, but to Troy, she was still beautiful.

"Hey, you," he gave her a lopsided smile. She nodded at him, before coming forward and taking the basketball out of his hands.

"Do you always practice shirtless?" she joked lightly. "Because if that's the case, you better cop me some tickets to the Lakers practices, not the games," she tossed the basketball towards the hoop and they both watched it gracefully fall through the net, Troy jogging to get the rebound.

"Funny girl," he chuckled, handing her the basketball.

"I have my moments," she shrugged, looking up at him, a smile tugging at her lips. He knew what she was doing. Gabriella hated and avoided confrontation. Her jokes and light-heartedness was merely a disguise for the battle that was probably raging in her head. "Remember the night before your championship game?" she asked suddenly. Troy's head snapped up to look at her and his heart twisted at the tears in her eyes.

"Yeah," he replied, his gaze unwavering.

"Things were a lot easier then," she said wistfully, turning the basketball around in her hands. They stood in silence for a minute and Troy let his mind wander back to that night in her backyard. He had snuck out, surprising Gabriella by showing up on her balcony, and they had sat in the hammock, arms and legs entangled, not talking about the future. They talked about movies, television, Taylor and Chad, school, basketball, chemistry homework, Zeke and Sharpay, parties, road trips, Jason and Kelsi. They spent the whole night avoiding the future and the uncertainties it would bring. They steered away from colleges, marriage proposals, scholarships, moving in together, and being apart. That night, Troy and Gabriella had lived in the moment.

"A lot easier," he agreed.

"Yeah," she nodded. Troy was about to answer back, when he felt a drop of rain fall on his face. Groaning, he stole a quick glance at Gabriella, whose eyes were fixed on a point in the distance.

"Hey, it's gonna rain. Come inside," he suggested. She nodded and followed him into the house. It was warm, she noted, and she recognized the soft hum of John Mayer's new CD playing in the background. "You want anything to drink?" he asked her, walking into the kitchen. She shook her head and lingered in the doorway awkwardly.

"I guess I should head back," she said, turning away.

"Gabriella,"

"No, I…thanks, Troy. But I should start heading home before the rain gets any worse," she reasoned. As soon as the words left her mouth, an unexpected thunderclap shook the house, leaving them in pitch-black darkness. Gabriella shrieked and she heard Troy curse under his breath."Geez, if you didn't want me to leave, you just had to say so!" she exclaimed.

It was quiet for a moment, before she heard him stifle a chuckle and soon enough, laughter filled the dark house.

* * *

"I know this isn't what you guys had in mind, but leftovers by candlelight can be romantic," Zeke argued, sticking a fork into a Tupperware of cold pasta salad. When he and Chad had decided to create a perfect double dates evening with their girlfriends, they hadn't accounted for the crazy rainstorm and loss of electricity. Which was why all four of them were now huddled around Sharpay's coffee table, eating cold takeout food and warm beer.

"The candlelight part is romantic," Sharpay conceded, giggling. "Just don't tell People magazine I eat out of Chinese takeout boxes," she warned, reaching for her glass of water. "So, have you guys set a date yet?"

"For what?" Chad mumbled, his mouth full.

"Oh, I don't know, Danforth. Your _wedding_?" Sharpay answered sarcastically, her eyebrows raised. "Wow, Tay, get out while you can," she teased.

"We haven't even had the engagement party yet!" Taylor said. "Although, I guess it'll have to be a summer wedding. With the offseason and everything,"

"You're planning your wedding around the NBA? That is way cool," Zeke piped up and Sharpay rolled her eyes.

"Just as long as you put me and Gabriella in gorgeous dresses," Sharpay grinned.

"Speaking of Gabriella, how is she?" Chad asked, putting his plate down. He clenched and unclenched his fist, taking a quick look at the small bruise that had popped up on his knuckles after he punched Brian. If it were up to Chad, Brian would be in a world of permanent pain.

"Gabi is doing…better. I don't know. There are days where she's all hyped up and ready to go and all for moving on. But then she has the days where she stays in her room and doesn't want to come out," Sharpay shrugged. "Brian's been calling the house phone nonstop and he's come to the door like, five times in the past three days. I'm seriously thinking of calling security," she snorted.

"Is it that bad? I thought she and Brian weren't getting along before this, anyway," Zeke pointed out.

"You forget that they had talked it out. So, to Gabi, she and Brian were on cloud nine…and she wanted it to stay that way," Taylor said, her voice tinged with sadness.

"Who cheats on Gabriella? Seriously," Chad spat out angrily. "Even Troy didn't do that to her," he fumed to himself for a while. "Where is Gabi, anyway?"

"She went out for a drive, before you guys even got here. She said she didn't want to be a third wheel or anything. I was just happy she wanted to go out," Sharpay shrugged her shoulders. "Granted, I would have been happier if she had changed her outfit before going out, but I'll take what I can get," she sighed, causing Taylor to giggle at her best friend's concern with fashion in a time of crisis.

"She'll be okay. Gabi's tough," Taylor chimed in. "Besides, she knows where to find us if she needs us,"

"I don't think it's our shoulders she's going to be leaning on," Zeke chuckled, stealing a look at Chad, as both men nodded in agreement.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sharpay demanded.

"He means Troy," Chad shrugged nonchalantly, as the girls turned to stare at him in disbelief. "Oh, come on! You saw how he acted when Gabriella blew up at Brian. I had to hold him back from pouncing on the kid,"

"So why didn't you just let him punch Brian, then?" Sharpay asked.

"Because if Troy had pummeled Brian, he wouldn't have a chance at patching things up with Gabriella," Chad shrugged, as if it were the most obvious fact in the world.

"And why would he need to patch things up with Gabi? You saw them at the party, they were getting along fine," Taylor pointed out.

"Tay, they may have been broken up for five years, but things between them are far from over. Even if they both say it is, Troy's the kind of guy who'll still hold on to her," Zeke explained. "He's not going to let anybody mess with his girl,"

"She'd kill you both if she heard what you were saying right now," Taylor commented, raising her eyebrows.

"But…well, they're sort of right, Tay," Sharpay said, tossing her hair over her shoulders. "I know Gabi's just going to insist that they're friends, but those two still have chemistry," she added, crossing her arms indignantly.

* * *

She was curled up on the couch, her feet tucked underneath her and a warm blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Bringing the mug of hot chocolate closer to her lips, she took a quick sip, before sighing contentedly. He was sprawled across the armchair, his back against one arm and his legs dangling over the other. It had dawned on him, several minutes earlier, that if they had been back in Albuquerque or North Carolina or even her old apartment down in Palo Alto, she would have been resting her head in the crook of his neck or had casually thrown her legs over his lap. He could've been lying down, stretched across the couch, his head in her lap, as they sat and watched movies and talked. But for the time being, they weren't doing any of those things. Instead, it was still and silent, the tension hanging in the air, waiting for something to break it.

"I'm going to get some more coffee, you want anything?" he spoke first, getting up from his chair.

"Um. I'll come with," she offered. He nodded, turning the TV off and heading towards the kitchen. After the lights went out and they tired of their laughing fit, Troy had found the few candles he had and two flashlights, bathing the entire house in an eerie, yet comforting and warm glow. He refused to let Gabriella drive, because the storm was too dangerous, so she had agreed to stay until it was over. The problem was, their conversations were light-hearted and easy, neither one of them wanted to delve into deeper territory. They stayed on the surface, where it was safe and reliable.

"Do you want anything to eat? I mean, we skipped dinner…" he trailed off, opening cabinets at random. He heard a giggle escape her mouth and he turned to face her. "And what is so funny?"

"Well, it just figures you'd be thinking about food at a time like this," she smirked.

"Hey, I called Hilary. She said she's working on the electricity," he said, walking over to the kitchen island, his hands full of cereal boxes.

"You don't think it's strange that when your lights go out, the first person you call is your personal assistant?" she laughed. "Those who aren't in the NBA just call the power company,"

"Funny, Montez," he grinned, reveling in the way her nose scrunched up when she was joking around. "Here, cereal," he gestured, nudging a box of Cap'n Crunch towards her.

"Is this how you get all girls to fawn over you, Bolton?" she giggled, opening the box of cereal and plunging her hand inside it.

"I don't see you complaining,"

"Yeah, well, maybe I'm a little rusty at flirting," she winked at him, before tossing several cereal pieces into her mouth. Troy watched her intently, for a while, amazed at how their conversation could have passed any stages of awkwardness and moved seamlessly into comfortable. The uneasy tension that was there the day he found out about Brian in the coffee shop had dissipated quickly. Troy and Gabriella were comfortable around each other, perhaps it came from dating each other for so long, but he really did marvel at how far they had come. He watched, as she chewed thoughtfully and as she got up to grab a drink of water, he impulsively grabbed her by the arm gently.

"Hey," he said, bowing his head closer to hers. She didn't say anything, but her body froze in place. "Gabi, is everything okay?" the question wasn't meant to anger or hurt her, but Troy felt he needed to ask it. The whole night, in the midst of candlelight and choppy flashes of lightning, Gabriella had laughed and talked and smiled, but there was something vacant and empty in her eyes. He could tell she was keeping her walls up, but it was frustrating to him. They had been so close five years ago that he didn't even need to ask – she would just tell him her problems. They were so far gone now and it hurt him to realize it.

She was standing still, suddenly aware of how near Troy was. For a split second, her mind flashbacked to Albuquerque and North Carolina and Palo Alto, where his touch would be just the thing to soothe her after a long, strenuous day. His question was simple, straightforward, and not threatening. Gabriella knew that if she didn't want to answer it, she didn't have to – Troy wasn't one to push. But as her mind repeated his words over and over again, tears sprang to her eyes. Her body shook, her shoulders drooped, and her hands flew to her face. She felt her knees buckle, but before she could hit the ground, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her.

* * *

_It had been in their sophomore year of college. Troy was jogging back home after a long training session at the gym and as he pulled out the key to his apartment, he noticed the floor mat had been pushed back, indicating that someone had used his spare key. With his heart racing, Troy opened the door and slipped inside, noticing that nothing in his apartment looked out of the ordinary and there was no burglars or unwanted guests. Shrugging his shoulders, he made his way into the bedroom, stripping off his workout jersey and moving to turn on the stereo. A soft sound interrupted him and he whipped around to see what it was. His room was empty._

_"Okay, Bolton, just…chill the fuck out," he whispered to himself, noticing his bathroom door was closed tight. Crossing the room, Troy tried to open it, but was shocked to see that it wouldn't budge – someone was in there._

_"Troy?" a quivering, but familiar, voice came from inside and Troy's heart immediately softened._

_"Gabriella?" he heard movement from the other side and after hearing a soft click, Troy pushed his bathroom door open to reveal his girlfriend of four years, curled up against the wall, hugging her knees to his chest. "Oh my god, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice full of worry, as he rushed to her side. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her lips were dry. Troy rarely saw this side of her. She was always so strong and so reliable that whenever she was vulnerable, it was sporadic and few._

_"I just…something happened," she squeaked._

_"What is it, baby? Just tell me, we'll work it out together," he wrapped an arm around her shoulders comfortingly. He was scared, seeing Gabriella in such a vulnerable state and the million negative scenarios that ran through his mind weren't helping. "Wait a second, did you just get here? I thought you had that huge case? Gabi, you didn't…you didn't skip it, did you?" he asked, remembering her phone call several weeks ago about a high-profile case she had been offered to sit in on. She had been so ecstatic and although Troy couldn't fully understand it, he was happy for her._

_"I booked a flight and just came over here. Troy, it's…it's big," she stammered. Their eyes locked and he suddenly understood that it was more than just stress and schoolwork. It transcended usual breakdowns and high school relationship drama – this was something serious. Troy sucked in a breath and waited for the next few words that came out of his girlfriend's mouth._

_"I'm pregnant."_

* * *

"I know I never really loved him, but it was safe and easy, you know?" Gabriella asked, clutching her glass of vodka. After she had nearly collapsed from crying, they had decided to break out the alcohol to calm their nerves. It had worked. Uninhibited and locked away, Troy and Gabriella existed in their little world, as a storm raged on outside. It was as if time had stopped and given them a sanctuary of a dimly lit living room to talk with no barriers. "Sharpay never understood it. She wanted me to have this gigantic, fairytale love. Like she had with Zeke," Gabriella took a sip of the clear liquid, letting it burn her throat nicely. "I don't have the heart to tell her that it doesn't exist. At least, not in my world,"

"You think so?" Troy asked, swirling the whiskey in his glass around.

"Yeah. Probably. I don't know," she shrugged, a giggle escaping from her lips. "This is so weird. Talking to you about relationships and stuff,"

"Why?"

"Well, Troy, I don't know if you remember, but we are exes," she laughed, causing him to grin at her. They were both sitting on the floor, their legs stretched out underneath the coffee table. Every once in a while, their knees would nudge each other and it was a slight, but assuring, gesture to both.

"Yeah, but after being in a relationship for so long, I'd like to think we could be friends," he shrugged nonchalantly. "So, tell me more about this Brian guy," he prodded.

"Ugh, do you really want to hear about it?" she raised her eyebrows skeptically and he nodded. Gabriella exhaled slowly. Why was it that whenever Sharpay, Taylor, or Chad asked her about 'The Brian Incident,' she'd freeze? With Troy, it came easy and unguarded. "Okay. He's…he's not a bad guy, really. I think if you two had met under different circumstances, you'd get along. He was all-star quarterback in high school, dated the head cheerleader, and then decided to take the medicine route, instead of pursuing football,"

"I really don't think I need to hear the guy's accomplishments," Troy chuckled, waving his hand dismissively.

"Okay, okay. Honestly? Our relationship was flat-out boring. There was no spark. We'd spend Saturday nights working. Separately," she added. "Which, looking back, probably wasn't what he was doing," she crinkled her nose in disgust.

"Are you mad?"

"Because Brian cheated on me?" she said bluntly, causing Troy to wince at her words. "Not as much as people think. I know I overreact, but sometimes…sometimes I just act the part because it's what people expect," she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, that sounds kind of stupid,"

"It doesn't. I do it, when I'm on the court," he assured her. "Damn, this rain is insane," Troy commented, sneaking a glance outside.

"Tell me about it," Gabriella knocked back the rest of her vodka and placed it on the table.

"Refill?"

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Bolton?" she asked coyly.

"Are you willing?" he smirked. Their eyes fixed on each other and Gabriella felt a fire stirring in her stomach, a fire she thought had been extinguished a long time ago.

* * *

**There it is! I hope you guys enjoyed it! I love seeing Gabriella and Troy navigate these new waters - they're not dating, but they still have deep conversations and they still flirt...don't tell me that doesn't happen in real life, I speak from personal experience! Haha. I threw in the scene with Sharpay, Zeke, Taylor, and Chad, just to show you how their friends are dealing with the aftermath of - as Gabriella calls it - 'The Brian Incident.' =P**

**AND. Of course, the biggest thing here is that dun dun dun...Gabriella was pregnant! I'm not giving anything away, for now, it's just dancing in my head as a plot line. =P**

**Hope you liked it! Please read and review! =) Xoxo.**


	9. Chapter 9: Playing with Fire

**Hi everyone! Alright, first off, thanks so much for all the reviews and your kind words...it means a lot to me & I'm hoping you guys will stick it out through the story! =) **

**So, last chapter, we found out Gabriella was pregnant at some point during their relationship, we saw Troy & Gabi navigate their new friendship and get shacked up together during a blackout, and we saw their friends talking about the situation. (Also, side note: I cut out Kelsi, Jason, and Martha - or, at least, we won't be seeing a lot of them. Kind of difficult with so many characters to talk about. =P). **

**Anyhoo. Here is the next chapter! I really, really, really like this chapter. First off, it got written pretty much by itself, the ideas were flowing so well into words while I was doing this. =) Second, it's the longest chapter I've written for this story! So excited about that. Third...I don't know, I just love where the plot goes. Lol. I don't know how many of you out there are One Tree Hill fans (I most definitely am...been watching the show since I was 12), but remember the Lucas/Peyton storyline in season 5? That helped with this. =)**

**Of course, I don't own any of the characters and whatnot. =)**

* * *

**Chapter 9: Playing with Fire**

Gabriella parked her car expertly, grinning at the sign that explicitly said, '_Montez/Evans.'_ Applying another coat of lip-gloss for good measure, she stepped out of the car, adjusting the chain strap of her small bag over her shoulder. It was the night of Taylor and Chad's engagement party and as Gabriella looked up at the familiar brick building, a tremor of excitement and nervousness ran through her. It had been two weeks since 'The Brian Incident' and ten days since he had stopped calling or coming over to the house. Gabriella wasn't bothered. But when Taylor had barreled into their house yesterday, nervously announcing (and apologizing profusely) that he was still coming to the party; it had sent Gabriella's mind into a tailspin and prompted an emergency shopping trip to purchase the sexiest, hottest dress in town.

'_It was damn well worth it, though,'_ she thought to herself, smoothing out the rich, turquoise fabric. The dress showed off her toned arms and tanned legs, cutting to a low V-neck. Sharpay had nearly suffered a heart attack when she saw Gabriella emerge from the dressing room and from then on, she knew it was the one.

"Here goes nothing, Montez," she murmured quietly to herself, before pushing open the restaurant door and stepping inside. Gabriella had seen the restaurant filled to the brim with people before, but she had never seen it this festive. Although the usual tables scattered the area, guests were mingling and hovering around the buffet table, flutes of champagne or wine glasses in hand. The bar was packed with people ordering and she smiled, catching a glimpse of Alex and Ian, two of the most popular bartenders in town. Twinkling fairy lights decorated every arch in the restaurant and Gabriella quickened her pace when she spotted Sharpay and Taylor in one of the smaller alcoves.

"So what's happened so far? Did I miss anything good?" Gabriella asked, after they had hugged and she had congratulated Taylor on the engagement for the millionth time.

"The Danforths made a speech and Tay cried like a baby," Sharpay shrugged, earning her a playful slap on the arm from her friend.

"I did not. It was…heart-warming. And very much appreciated. They've left already, anyway. They're doing the whole LA tour thing tomorrow morning," Taylor smiled, remembering how Chad's parents welcomed her with open arms, thanking her for taming their son. "Anyway, how are you, Gabi?"

"I'm good. I thought you said…Brian was going to be here?"

"I can't believe you still invited him to this thing," Sharpay rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't my fault, okay? Blame Chad. He was supposed to un-invite him, but I guess he thought punching Brian in the face was kind of the same thing," Taylor explained in mock-seriousness, causing the girls to giggle.

"Yeah, but now he won't be able to see how amazingly hot Gabi is in this dress," Sharpay pointed out, lifting her martini glass to her lips.

"Is that really the only reason you want to see him tonight?"

"That's not…the only reason," Gabriella answered quietly. Her mind ran overtime with thoughts about her motives behind seeing Brian again. A part of her wanted to win the breakup, to show her just what he was missing. Another part of her wanted to slap him in the face. And a small part of her just wanted to see him again so she could finally have some closure. It was strange to her, really. She had spent so much time and energy fighting for their relationship, trying to inject passion into it, and when it had all come falling down, she thought that was what she wanted. But no matter how Gabriella tried to spin the story, it all hurt just the same. Sure, she was never in love with Brian. But she did love him, at least for several months. Maybe it didn't hurt as much as it would have if she had let her whole heart feel, but it definitely stung.

"Girls!" a happy Chad stumbled over the couches, ending up on his back, his head in Taylor's lap.

"Wow. I don't know if I said it before, but you are so lucky to be getting married, Tay," Sharpay said sarcastically, a smile playing at her lips.

"Chad! Up!" Taylor scolded him, pushing her fiancé off her lap. He sat upright, an arm slung affectionately over Taylor's shoulders. Just then, Gabriella noticed Zeke and Troy making their way over to their area. Her shoulders tensed involuntarily and she found herself smoothing out imaginary wrinkles in her dress.

"Danforth, lay off the drinks, will you?" Zeke teased, dropping a quick kiss on Sharpay's forehead. The group gathered in the small alcove, but Gabriella noticed Troy was standing and leaning against the wall, instead.

"I haven't had any, I swear. Just a couple of beers," Chad said, raising his hands up defensively, after Taylor shot him a warning look.

"Just like high school," she rolled her eyes, grinning, and kissed her fiancé lightly on the cheek. Gabriella smiled at the encounter. It was crazy to think that the couple that made no sense to everybody was suddenly the couple to beat. She stole a quick look at Troy and his eyes locked on to hers. For a split second, the temperature in the room rose and they both looked away. Gabriella wasn't dumb and neither was Troy. They knew the attraction still lingered between them, this unspoken connection that hung in the air whenever they were in the same vicinity. It was the reason she didn't call him after they had been stranded in his house with no electricity - she wanted space. And Troy knew better than to call her first. He wanted her to clear her head and make sure her relationship with Brian was really over.

The group continued to talk about the engagement party and Gabriella drifted in and out of the conversation, until a touch on her shoulder caused her to look up into a pair of the most mesmerizing, most comforting blue eyes.

"Come with me?" his voice was low and husky, whispered in her ear. She glanced around nervously at their friends, but saw that none of them paid any attention. Gabriella nodded and followed Troy out of the alcove and out the front door of the restaurant. It was deserted, except for the valet and various drivers.

"What's up?" she asked, biting her lip and running her hands over her arms, trying to warm up to the cold night air.

"Oh, shit, you must be freezing," Troy said, noticing her chattering teeth. Pulling off his jacket, he wrapped it around her shoulders and Gabriella's heart melted a little at the gesture. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she thought, _'Brian would've never done that.'_

"You made me come out here so you could give me your jacket?" she asked, raising her eyebrows, smirking at him. Troy grinned back.

"Nah. I just…wanted to see where your head is at, I guess. After…" he trailed off, shuffling his feet on the ground. Gabriella looked down and smiled; noticing he was wearing a pair of old, black Converse sneakers – probably the same pair he wore when he asked her to their senior prom.

"After Brian cheated on me?" she finished. "I've been good. Better, actually. He was supposed to be here tonight, you know," she told him. His eyebrows furrowed in concern and he ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, it's a good thing he isn't," Troy mumbled.

"Or else what?" she dared to ask.

"Come on, Gabi. He's an asshole. What do you want me to say?" he shrugged his shoulders. "Or else I'd punch the living daylights out of him?" he suggested.

"That's one solution," she giggled. It was silent between them for a moment and Gabriella took a deep breath, ready to ask a question she didn't quite know the answer to. "So, where is your head at, Wildcat? After coming back to LA, being a part of all this drama…the rainstorm…" she let her words hang in the air, as she brought her eyes back up to his face. Troy bit his lip, sticking his hands in his pockets nervously. _'She called me Wildcat. God, she's still got it, doesn't she? She's still this sweet, innocent, pretty little thing, who manages to look so damn sexy at the same time,'_ he thought, as she shifted her weight to her other foot, playing with the straps on her body-hugging dress. He noticed she had moved several inches closer to him and his heart started to beat faster.

"I'm glad I moved to LA. Not just for the Lakers, but I've just been missing a place called home, you know?" he shrugged, taking the smallest step towards her. Gabriella's blood pumped furiously through her veins and she wondered what she was doing, as she moved to shorten the distance, just by a millimeter, between them.

"Albuquerque's not home?" she looked up at him with big, dark eyes, and Troy resisted the urge to kiss her right then and there. There was chemistry or some attraction, like magnets, between them, drawing them closer and closer.

"You know what they say…home is where the heart is," his voice dropped to a low whisper. They were merely inches away now, she could see the light stubble on his chin and he noticed the flecks of glitter she had swept on her eyelids. Maybe it was the champagne playing a mean trick on her head, but Gabriella felt a familiar stirring in her – the kind that usually led to two people and very little clothing.

"So, where's your heart?" she breathed. Her heart thumped against her chest and she wondered if he could hear it. Their breaths were shallow and Gabriella felt the heat from his body bouncing off her, creating a warm blanket that settled around them. She saw his hand make its way to the curls that tumbled over her shoulder and she bit her lip in anticipation of the touch…

"Gabriella!"

* * *

"You don't think they went off and did something stupid, do you?" Taylor asked, fidgeting in her seat.

"So what if they did? They're both single, right?" Zeke inquired.

"Oh, because it'll ruin everything! If they get drunk and hook up…"

"Sharpay! You don't know that's what happened!" Taylor cried, waving her arms around frantically.

"Chill! I said 'if!' As in, _if _they get drunk and hook up, they'll both regret in the morning because they've got morals and values and whatnot," Sharpay crossed her arms defiantly.

"Oh god, what if they went and did just that? And they're like, making out in the back alley of some trashy bar named Honkers or something?" Taylor bit her nail nervously.

"Alright, that's enough," Chad finished off the last sip of his beer and his eyebrows furrowed. "I think we owe it to Troy and Gabriella to let them figure out these waters on their own. We're speculating. Just because we think they're meant to be, it doesn't mean the future sees it that way," Chad said sternly. "I know Troy, he's like my brother. And he knows that if he ever hurts Gabi or does anything to make her cry – he's getting hell. They're both adults. If they want a drunken one night stand, that's their decision," he looked around the table at his group of friends, all of whom had stayed quiet during his little speech. Taylor looked up at her fiancé with adoring eyes. Sure, there were times when he was completely immature and just the same, goofy, basketball-loving, guy she had met in high school, but sometimes, Chad would surprise everybody and that was what she loved most about him – his unpredictability.

"He's right," she conceded.

"I never thought it'd happen," Sharpay's eyes widened in mock horror, before she burst into giggles.

"That still doesn't change the fact that we don't know where they are. They just sort of up and left," Zeke pointed out. They were quiet for a moment, each running through the possible scenarios that Troy and Gabriella could have ended up in. Suddenly, a phone beeped, breaking the silence. Zeke looked down at his cell and stood up quickly. "Dude, emergency," he said firmly, gesturing to Chad. The air changed, as the two men rushed out of the small alcove towards the entrance of the restaurant, leaving the girls to look around nervously, before following suit.

* * *

Gabriella stood, her arms crossed and her lips set in a firm line, facing Brian, who was running a hand through his hair anxiously. Chad, Zeke, and the girls, having just arrived, watched with wide eyes, as the scene unfolded before them.

"Gabi, I just need to talk to you! Alone!" he pleaded.

"If you want to say something to me, you can say it right here – no one is stopping you," she pointed out angrily.

"Not with…this guy around," Brian countered, taking a step closer to Gabriella and gesturing to Troy, who had been standing behind her, his fists clenched. "Let's just go some place private and we can talk. Honestly, Gabi, you're being really uptight about this,"

"Dude, you better back the fuck up," Troy growled, his voice laced with anger. He stepped forward and nudged Gabriella to get behind him.

"_Dude_, chill out and let me talk to my girlfriend," Brian shot back, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He gave Troy a little shove in the shoulder, as if to emphasize his point.

"Alright, you crossed a line, man. Nobody wants you here,"

"And what are you going to do? Hit me? Go ahead, I dare you,"

"Don't tempt me, Caraway," Zeke interjected.

"You hurt Gabi, you answer to all of us," Chad added.

"Gabi doesn't need someone looking out for her, alright? Get the fuck out of my way and let me talk to my girlfriend!"

"I'm not your girlfriend!" Gabriella screeched, trying to interrupt the fight. She stood in between them, her hands flailing in a panic, causing Sharpay and Taylor to rush to her side.

"You heard her," Troy spoke evenly and firmly, the fire in his eyes blazing with animosity. "She's not yours,"

"What, so that means she's yours?" he spat. "Who the fuck are you, anyway? You come into town, this hotshot basketball player and expect all the girls to fall in love with you? Newsflash! You and Gabi? Done," he shoved Troy's shoulder, expecting him to stumble backwards. In the background, Sharpay sucked in a breath and Taylor groaned. Gabriella caught the look of fury in Troy's bright blue eyes - and was suddenly terrified for her ex-boyfriend's life.

"Um, Brian…" she started, about to warn him. But before she could finish her sentence, she saw Troy's arm pull back and a cracking, painful sound reverberated through the night air, as his fist made contact with Brian's jaw.

* * *

"I'm so sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry," Gabriella apologized, grabbing a pack of frozen peas and a handful of ice out of the freezer. Thrusting the peas into his hand, she reached for the paper towels and wrapped up the ice cubes, before pressing them to his swelling eye gently.

"Hey, don't worry about it," he murmured, hissing slightly, as the cold sensation ran through him.

"I just…I got you into this mess. I mean, my ex-ex-boyfriend punched my ex-boyfriend, who retaliated by giving my ex-ex-boyfriend a black eye!" she cried, pacing the length of the kitchen. It was late at night and after the fight outside of Game had ended with Troy pinning Brian up against the wall with his bare hands, the gang had decided to head back to Gabriella and Sharpay's. Brian had left without a goodbye and just like that, the party was over.

"That's actually kind of hilarious," Troy chuckled.

"Not funny!"

"Aw, come on, Gabi. It's no big deal. So he got away with a good punch, so what?" he shrugged. "Although, could you stop pacing? You're making me sick," he pointed out, a smile playing on his lips.

"I swear, if I ever…I mean, Brian and I have some issues to work out, obviously, but…"

"Whoa, hey," Troy interrupted, jumping off the counter and grabbing Gabriella's arm gently. "What do you mean you still have issues to work out with him? Nuh uh, he's gone. History," Troy's voice was firm, as he looked down at her. She saw a trace of protectiveness in his eyes and she felt her heart thump against her ribs, positive he could hear it.

"I just…" she started, trailing off.

"No. You're not making any excuses for the jackass. None. He hurt you and that's it,"

"Okay, okay!" she whirled out of his grasp and flung her arms up in frustration. "What's it to you, anyway?" she blurted out.

"What are you talking about?"

"Why do you care? Why did you have to punch Brian tonight? What is with you and this incessant need you have to constantly come into my life and just mess it all up for me?" she asked, the questions rolling off her tongue like acid. She wasn't angry, but she was frustrated and the thoughts about Troy and their past that she had tried so hard to keep at bay, were coming back full force.

* * *

_Gabriella looked up at her boyfriend, her eyes brimming with tears for what felt like the millionth time that day. She was exhausted, emotionally and physically. The beginning of her day, when she had impulsively decided to skip her afternoon classes to hop on a flight to North Carolina, seemed so far away. She had written her roommate a hasty note, left her mother a breezy voicemail, rushed through the airport, and spent a four-hour flight biting her nails and wiping away tears. When she had touched down, Gabriella spent several hours at the airport café, gathering her thoughts, before catching a taxi to Troy's apartment and collapsing on his bed, inhaling the familiar, comforting scent of him. Now, as she looked up at his gorgeous face, she was suddenly regretting ever flying out. His mouth was hanging open in shock and his blue eyes wide and scared._

_ "Troy? Say something," she prompted, waving a hand in front of his face to grab his attention. He blinked and looked at her, as if realizing she had been there the whole time. As if she hadn't just told him the biggest news of his life._

_ "I don't…how did…when…" he stammered breathlessly. Letting go of her shoulders, Troy sank back against the wall next to Gabriella, his head hitting the concrete behind him dully._

_ "Remember when you came to visit about a month ago?" she asked. He was staring into space, but he nodded, listening. "I realized I was late a few weeks ago. I took a pregnancy test yesterday and it was…it was positive," she blinked back tears, her voice shaking with fear. It was too much. Too much responsibility for both of them, just when Troy was beginning to launch his basketball career and Gabriella was on her way to a law degree. Too much of the unknown, they didn't know how to be parents and what would happen. Gabriella stole a quick look at her boyfriend and caught him looking back at her._

_ "What are we going to do?" he asked, tears brimming in his eyes._

_ "I don't know, Wildcat. I'm…terrified," she choked out. Uncontrollable sobs shook her small frame and Troy gathered his arms around her, once again. She threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him. They sat on the floor of his bathroom, holding each other, locked away from the world, scared of what life had thrown their way this time._

* * *

"Of course I care about you! He hurt you, Gabriella! How could I not care?" Troy cried, frustrated. How had it come to this? A few hours ago, they were mere inches away from each other, their lips nearly touching. A few minutes ago, she was pressing a paper towel full of ice cubes to his black eye. And now, they were at opposite sides of the kitchen, screaming at each other.

"You walked out! You took everything and just walked out!" she screamed. "God, Troy, it took _five years_, damnit! Five fucking years of trying to move on with my life and when I think I've got it all under control, you show up! You show up and you act like it's all okay, like you didn't crush everything we had together!" her shouts echoed through the house and she saw Sharpay, Zeke, Taylor, and Chad poke their heads into the kitchen, hearing the noise.

"I crushed it? You're blaming everything that happened on me? Really?" his voice dropped to a low hiss and Gabriella backed away, leaning her hands on the kitchen counter, her tears flowing down her cheeks.

"You don't just…after everything, you don't just sweep me off my feet, it doesn't work that way!" she cried out, causing Troy to slam his fist onto the counter angrily.

"_Damnit_, Gabriella!" he shouted, his eyes brimming with tears. "I was doing what I thought we both wanted!"

"Not at the time! It wasn't what was supposed to happen…" she trailed off, her sobs getting the best of her.

"No. You know what was _supposed_ to happen? When your boyfriend asks you to marry him, you're _supposed_ to say yes," he said softly. Gabriella looked up at him and Troy's heart twisted at the sight of the pain on her beautiful face. He shook his head sadly, before turning on his heel and walking out.

* * *

**There it is! Ah, I can't wait to see what everybody thinks of this chapter! It was really hard writing out the TxG scenes, I just wanted them to sound authentic and I guess this is what came out of my brain. =P **

**So, we find out that Troy once asked Gabriella to marry him and obviously, she didn't say yes. Sad face. =( I really love revealing little bits and pieces of their past relationship - makes everything so much more interesting. =)**

**Anyway, please read and review and tell me what you think! =) Xoxo.**


	10. Chapter 10: Losing It

**I'm back again! Whew, I honestly think this is the fastest I've updated another chapter in any story! Haha. I was just super motivated from the last chapter - thank you so much for all your kind words and feedback, so appreciated! =)**

**Anyway, this chapter is pretty emotionally heavy, so I'm hoping I've gotten my point across and it doesn't sound totally corny or unrealistic. Lol. Also - I love Sharpay. =P Again, flashbacks are in italics. The 'XXXXX' doesn't mean anything, just a break in scene in the flashback itself. The timeline of this story is sorta all over the place and at some parts, it feels like I'm telling two stories at once, but hopefully it doesn't get too confusing. If there's anything you guys wanna ask me - go right ahead!**

**Read on and tell me what you think! =D**

**Also...I do not own High School Musical or any of the Wildcats. Obviously. =P**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Losing It**

"That's it!" a frustrated cry rang out through the Danforth house on a late Monday afternoon, followed by a slam of the front door. Sharpay flung her purse onto the floor and stomped into the kitchen to find Taylor standing at the stove, her eyes wide with concern and shock.

"Whoa. What happened?" she asked, turning the heat down and sitting on the kitchen stool. Grabbing two bottles of water, she slid one across the counter to Sharpay, who was tapping her manicured nails against the marbled top.

"She's just pacing back and forth through the house, mumbling to herself! I try and get her to sit down, but all I ever hear are half-finished sentences!" she took a long sip and slammed the bottle back onto the counter, before flailing her arms around wildly. "It's all, 'Troy hurt us,' or 'Brian deserved it,' or 'We were so in love,' and it just goes back around, all the damn time! She's driving me crazy!"

"I assume you're talking about Gabriella?" Chad asked, walking into the kitchen and twirling his cell phone in one hand.

"How'd you know?" Taylor smirked, lifting her cheek to Chad's lips.

"She's gone off the deep end, you guys. I'm serious. I am this close to putting her in a straitjacket!" Sharpay fumed, twisting the ends of her blond hair around her fingers. "Either that, or I'm just going to lock her and Troy in a room together and see which one comes out alive," she muttered.

"Okay, maybe _you've_ lost it," Taylor laughed. "She's just vulnerable right now, Shar. We all have to be patient,"

"I'm a fucking saint!"

"Language," Chad warned, chuckling.

"Just let Gabriella feel sad right now. They've got a lot of unfinished business to work out and a lot of history," Taylor pointed out. "How's Troy doing, anyway?"

"He's at a training session right now, but he hasn't said anything about Gabi," Chad answered.

"Tell him that his ex-girlfriend is being a bitch and a half," Sharpay grumbled. "I get that she's sad and all, but I just wish she'd talk, you know? Or…_something._ Just anything that doesn't make it seem like she's a zombie,"

"It's not easy for them, Shar. If you and Zeke went through everything they did, I'm sure you'd be the same," Taylor offered.

"Um, I would've said yes if Zeke asked me to marry him,"

"Whoa! Okay, uncalled for, Evans," Chad motioned a time-out with his hands. "We don't know the reasons why Gabi didn't say yes, we don't know the reasons why Troy even asked her in the first place. It's all in the past, anyway. I don't see why we have to bring it up,"

"Because the past doesn't stay in the past," Taylor said simply.

"I just wish they'd see how perfect they are for each other," Sharpay mused, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. "Things were a lot easier when they were in love, you know?"

"Everything is easier when you're in love," Chad smirked, kissing his fiancée on the lips, causing Sharpay to wrinkle her nose in disgust.

"Oh, save it for the bedroom!" she laughed. "I guess I always believed in Troy and Gabriella making it,"

"I think we all did, Shar," Taylor nodded.

"Well, at any rate, a few dramatic months should be interesting. Troy's mad at Gabi, Gabi's confused, you two have a wedding to plan, and I'm going to lose all my hair from stressing out," Sharpay huffed.

* * *

_"Do you think we can do this?" Gabriella whispered softly, tucking her feet around Troy's ankles, as they lay in bed together. It was several hours after her revelation and they had spent a good amount of time crying and panicking, before settling into bed. It had been quiet, at first, as thoughts of the future and the unknown ran through both their heads._

_ "I don't know," he shrugged slightly, bringing her body closer to his. Troy was terrified. Scared at the prospect of being a father, afraid of what his parents would say, but most of all, frightened at the possibility that both their dreams could be taken away. He was so close to the NBA, he could feel it. And he knew that having a baby would definitely involve some rearranging._

_"Troy, I don't…" she started, before taking a deep breath and pulling herself up to sit on her knees, facing him. "I didn't do this on purpose, I need you to know that," she bit her lip, looking down at her fingers. Troy's eyebrows rose in shock, before reaching for one of her hands and pressing a soft kiss to the inside of her wrist._

_ "Why would you think that I'd think that?" he asked, pulling her back down to him. _

_ "I guess, because you've got this amazing life coming at you. The NBA is calling, I know you feel it and so do I. Your dream is within reach and I don't want you to think this…situation…happened because I wanted to keep you to myself," Gabriella thought aloud. _

_ "I don't think that, Gabi," he said. "You have dreams too and they're just as important as mine are," he murmured into her hair._

_ "I don't know what we're going to do," she sniffled and Troy felt her small frame shake with tears again. He grabbed her arm gently, turning her so that she faced him. Her cheeks were tear-stained and her eyes were red and puffy, but Troy kissed her on the lips and smiled comfortably at her._

_ "We're going to work this out, I promise. This baby…is going to have both of us," he laid a comforting hand on Gabriella's stomach. "This was bound to happen, Gabi. Sure, it's not the right timing and it's not at the most ideal points in our lives, but this baby was always going to come…it just came early," he chuckled lightly, causing Gabriella to smile. "I love you, you know that?"_

_ "I love you too, Wildcat," she grinned._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXX__XXXXXXXXXXXXX_ _XXXXXXXXXXXXX_ _XXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Three weeks later, Gabriella was unlocking the door to the apartment she shared with Sharpay. Twisting the key hurriedly, she stepped inside, relieved to find it quiet and empty. Her roommate was most likely at rehearsal, Gabriella decided, before rushing to her bedroom and collapsing on the bed. She lay there, willing the tears to come and letting relief, then guilt, and finally confusion settle over her. Pulling her body up and turning over on her stomach, she winced at the dull pain, and her eyes fell on the duffel bag she still hadn't unpacked from her trip to North Carolina. Her eyes then fell on a framed photograph of her and Troy, their foreheads touching, their hands intertwined and before Gabriella could stop herself, the tears came._

_Her trip to North Carolina, although unexpected, was a turning point in their relationship. For the first time, Gabriella couldn't say with absolute certainty that Troy still loved her. She didn't feel like she deserved his love anymore, not when she had flown in and dropped the biggest news in the world on him. She had seen the way his eyes glazed over and she felt like a sudden threat to his future. As she saw way his brow furrowed over his crystal blue eyes, she knew, without a doubt, the same scenarios played out in both their thoughts. Or perhaps they were images of a life that would never be. Flashes of lost professional basketball games, wasted endorsement deals, and unsigned contracts. Bits and pieces of a slipping job at a high-profile law firm, replaced with baby bottles, cots, and late-night feedings. She was only 19 years old and they were both only sophomores in college. How could they possibly take care of a baby?_

_Troy had kissed her passionately on the lips and told her they would figure it out. But Gabriella, a pragmatic, rational, and incredibly meticulous thinker, had gone over all the possibilities and spent her flight home panicking and coming up with a plan of attack. The first step Troy and Gabriella both agreed on was getting to a doctor as soon as possible. With the two of them living in separate states, Gabriella had confided in Sharpay the minute she returned and they had gone to the first appointment together. The second step was figuring out when to tell their parents. Gabriella insisted on waiting until Troy was with her to break the news and just like that, the expectant couple and Sharpay were the only ones to know about the pregnancy. That was three weeks ago._

_Gabriella flipped herself onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, wiping away the tears that stained her cheeks. She had started out her morning normally, she remembered, calling Troy to check in and hear his voice, before shuffling to class. But somewhere between attendance and the actual lecture starting, Gabriella experienced a sharp pain in her abdomen and was immediately horrified. She had excused herself and then spent the rest of the lecture in the bathroom, clutching her stomach in discomfort. Not even bothering to call Troy or Sharpay, she immediately dialed her obstetrician and made an appointment. And an hour and a half later, Dr. Patterson was informing Gabriella that she had lost the baby._

'Lost it…like they were my keys or something,' _Gabriella thought bitterly. The truth was, there was a tiny bit of relief in the news – suddenly her future shaped itself back to its original plans and in her mind, she saw the law degree hanging proudly next to a huge trophy case in the living room of the house she shared with her husband named Troy. But a bigger part of her felt lost, empty, and angry. How cruel, to only realize she had unconsciously fallen in love with her and Troy's unborn baby after it had been taken away from her. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, before curling her legs up to her chest, her eyes fixated on a random point in the room. The doctor had said the baby wasn't fully formed yet, but it didn't matter to Gabriella. The loss of their baby, the life they had created, whether it was intentionally or unintentionally, suddenly felt like it was pressing itself down on her. Gabriella briefly wondered if it would be a fair trade – her life for the baby's – before she slipped into a complicated and worried sleep._

* * *

Gabriella combed through her silky tresses that night, counting silently in her head. When she was younger, someone told her that if she combed her hair 100 times before bed, it would be smooth and silky in the morning. As she had grown up, Gabriella realized it was a ridiculous myth, but the habit still lived on and she found it therapeutic. _'99…100,'_ she set her brush down and looked at herself in the mirror. Despite her puffy eyes and paler-than-usual complexion, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Hey," the voice was low, tentative, and familiar. Gabriella gave a little shriek and turned around to see Troy leaning against her doorframe. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he apologized, crossing the room to sit on her window seat.

"I don't remember inviting you in," she said, fingering the hem of her old East High sweater.

"The door wasn't locked and I was calling, but nobody answered," he looked around her bedroom – oh, God, he was in her _bedroom_ – and chuckled. "Doesn't look like you've changed decorating habits," he gestured towards the light purple walls and stuffed animals that cluttered the armchair.

"I guess," she shrugged. Gabriella stole a glance at Troy and she saw he was nervous. His eyes darted all around the room and he ran a hand against the back of his neck – a surefire sign that he was hesitant about asking something. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted…to apologize," he breathed out. Gabriella's eyebrows shot up, as he began walking towards her. With her heart beating wildly, she dragged her eyes up the length of his body, taking in the dark jeans that slung loosely on hips and the crisp, white, button-up shirt that hugged his torso in all the right places. His hair was damp, several strands clinging to his forehead, and she guessed he had come straight from practice.

"For what?"

"For the way I acted. For the way I've been acting ever since I got back,"

"Troy, I…"

"No, I'm going to talk and you're going to listen for a while, okay?" his blue eyes gazed into hers and she found herself nodding silently. "When I came back, I think a part of me wanted to pick things up again, as if things had never changed between us. But I went about everything wrongly," he shook his head at himself and decided to sit on the floor, his back leaning against her bed.

"Troy…" she started, moving to sit next to him.

"When I asked you out for drinks, when we ran into each other at the coffeehouse…that was out of line. And then I found out about Brian. I could tell you weren't happy, but you were right – it's your life and I have to accept that I'm not a part of it anymore," he shrugged sadly. "Although I still really, really hate that guy," he added, chuckling to himself.

"Understandable,"

"Anyway, I just thought we'd be able to start all over, you know? But I don't think…I don't know if we can," Troy locked eyes with his ex-girlfriend and a sharp pain passed through his heart. Was it possible that he was really giving it all up now? That he was going down without a fight? He had wanted the world with Gabriella; he wanted the big house, the family, and the perfect life. But it had all come crashing down with a simple rejection.

"Troy, I need you to understand something," Gabriella said, her voice cracking with tears.

"What is it?"

"I didn't say no because I wasn't in love with you. God, I was _so_ in love with you, you know that?" she smiled. "Even after you nearly gave my mom a heart attack, climbing up the trellis for the first time and making her think you were some kidnapper," she giggled.

"Gabi…"

"I said no because I wasn't ready. We weren't ready," she turned to face him, her eyes brimming with tears. Reaching up to touch his cheek, he leaned in to her hand and they both smiled sadly at each other.

"But I didn't think saying no then meant I'd be saying no forever,"

* * *

"Gabriella Montez!" Sharpay cried, slamming the door behind her and poking her head into the living room. Seeing that nobody was there, she checked the kitchen, before removing her heels and tossing them carelessly onto the floor.

"I just had dinner with Chad and Taylor and considering they're in their blissfully-engaged state of mind, I honestly believe you owe me some time out of your incoherent babbling to actually talk to me!" she shouted, checking the backyard and study room.

"It's not that late, you can't be sleeping or something!" she yelled. Placing both hands on her hips, Sharpay looked around townhouse suspiciously, before deciding to open the front door again to check where her roommate could be. Her heart jumped into her throat when she noticed a familiar, black Range Rover parked further down the road. She squinted and her mouth dropped in shock when she saw the Staples Center VIP sticker on the dashboard. Shutting the door behind her once more, Sharpay took her time up the stairs and saw Gabriella's door closed shut.

"Gabi?" she whispered softly, letting the door fall open, revealing a sight that made Sharpay's heart stop. There, lying down on the bed was her roommate, clearly fast asleep. She was curled up in a comfortable position, her hands tucked underneath her head, clad in a pair of shorts and an old East High sweater. But what Sharpay saw was Troy dressed only in his jeans, his head bent at the nape of her roommate's neck, his breathing even and steady, and his arms wrapped tightly around Gabriella's waist. Smiling softly to herself, Sharpay closed the door quietly and proceeded to throw her hands in the air, performing a victory dance all the way to her bedroom.

* * *

**Do you see why I love Sharpay? Haha. Okay, well, there it is! Pretty heavy and emotional stuff to deal with, hopefully I did it okay...**

**Troy and Gabi finally have a talk, but I hope you realized that there's no real final conclusion to their relationship at this point. Sharpay's all excited, because remember, she just wants her best friend to have that fairytale love. And we find out what happened to Troy and Gabriella's baby - they've lost it. =(**

**To all those people who have stuck with this story from the very beginning - thank you so much! Please review on the new chapter and I can't wait for you guys to read the rest (once I write it! =P). To new readers - welcome! Feel free to press that little button below this lengthy A/N and give me some feedback! I hope you're enjoying the story so far!**

**Xoxo. =)**


	11. Chapter 11: The Cosmic Pull

**Look who's back again! Haha. I'm getting pretty quick with my updates (compared to my past stories), so I consider this a huge accomplishment! Lol. Thanks to everybody who's reviewed and put me on your lists, I appreciate it so much! Regarding the last chapter, I just have to say that it's Gabriella that says, "But I didn't think saying no then meant I'd be saying no forever," not Troy. I realized it could get kind of confusing, so I just thought I'd clarify. =)**

**Anyway, in the last chapter, we saw that Gabriella and Troy lost the baby. At that point, she hasn't told Troy anything and as for the timing of the proposal...well, it'll all come together soon, I promise!**

**This chapter's sort of a filler chapter, but it's kind of needed. It's also formatted a little differently, mostly because I had this little movie scene going on in my head while I was writing this...=P Bear with me, I'm just trying something new! Enjoy the chapter! =)**

* * *

**Chapter 11: The Cosmic Pull**

_Sunday Morning ; The Montez-Evans house._

The sun trickled in through the flimsy curtains, bathing her in comfortable warmth, as she snuggled further into her pillows, squeezing her eyes shut in hopes of catching a few more seconds of sleep. But when she heard the faint buzz of her phone, her eyes snapped open, reaching towards her bedside table and pulling up a text message.

_**Been trying to reach you since this morning. Text me back, ASAP.  
-Tay.**_

Frowning, Gabriella stole a quick look at the clock and gasped when she saw it was almost noon. Flinging back her blankets, she jumped off the bed and searched for a hair tie, before coming to a standstill, as she noticed a white, men's dress shirt, tossed carelessly onto the window seat. Taking a deep breath, she took a tentative step and picked it up, only to be immediately overwhelmed with the familiar cologne Troy wore. Little by little, remnants of the previous night filtered through her thoughts and she swallowed nervously, before shaking her head and deciding to head downstairs. Throwing her hair into a messy ponytail and reaching the kitchen, Gabriella smelled the coffee and grinned, happy that somebody had taken the time to brew some. She stopped dead in her tracks, when she realized just who that person was.

Troy was leaning against the kitchen counter, holding a mug of coffee in one hand and perusing the day's newspaper with the other. His hair was pushed off his face and his jeans hung low on his hips, revealing the top band of his boxers. Gabriella exhaled slowly, letting her eyes involuntarily drink in his six-pack, before shuffling into the kitchen.

"Um. Morning," she managed, opening the fridge, telling herself she wanted the yogurt, not just because the cold air was a stark contrast to her rising temperature.

"Hey," he nodded, pouring her coffee. "Here, I made some. Hope that's okay," he slid the steaming mug across the kitchen island towards her. Gabriella returned his nod politely and averted her eyes from him. _'Why doesn't he have a shirt on? He had a shirt on last night, right? We didn't do anything last night…at least, I don't think so. I mean, there wasn't any booze involved. Oh, god, I just really wish he'd put on a damn shirt!'_ her thoughts screamed. He was oblivious, she could tell. Gabriella looked around the kitchen and remained silent, before realizing that Sharpay wasn't in the house. Racking her brain, she tried to remember if her roommate had plans with Zeke the night before or if she had made it home. It hit her that if Sharpay did make it home, there was a possibility – no, try absolute certainty – that she saw Troy and Gabriella.

"Um, is that for me?" Gabriella noticed a piece of pink paper folded up, propped against the fruit bowl. Troy nodded and she grabbed the note, unsure of what Sharpay could've possibly said.

_**Stayed at Zeke's last night, didn't even come home to grab a change of clothes until this morning. Have auditions lined up, so I couldn't stay and chat. Saw Troy's car parked down the road – get it, girl! We'll talk soon! Love you! Kisses, Shar.**_

"Oh, great," Gabriella muttered, crumpling the note. She rubbed her fingers against her forehead, trying to sort through her thoughts.

"What's wrong?" Troy asked. She looked up at him and immediately chastised herself internally. Those blue eyes were killer.

"It's…Sharpay. She wants to talk about something, I guess it's pretty important," Gabriella said, looking away. "Did you run into her this morning?"

"Nah, the note was there when I came downstairs," he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and she bit her lip anxiously.

"Okay. Well. I think I'm going to take a shower," she announced lamely, setting her mug down.

"Gabriella," Troy started. She was halfway off the kitchen stool and halfway to walking, when his voice calling her name made her whip her head around, subsequently causing her to trip over her own feet. She felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her waist, pulling her up. "Whoa! When did you get so clumsy, Montez?" he chuckled.

"Um…" she stammered, her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Gabriella turned around in his arms to push herself away, but found his face mere inches away from her own. "I don't…I don't know,"

"You're acting really strange," he pointed out.

"Well, you're…" she started, and then realized her hands were on his bare chest. She pulled them away and crossed her arms. _'Get it together, Gabriella!'_ she cried in her head. "Troy?" her voice came out in a squeak.

"Yeah?" he tightened his hold on her and Gabriella let out a small sigh. She considered her options in her next words carefully, before realizing the easiest way to avoid questions about her wandering eyes and clumsiness was pure humor.

"Could you put a shirt on?" she looked up at him, a smirk playing across her lips. Troy looked confused for a minute, before his eyes widened and they both burst into laughter.

* * *

_Sunday Afternoon ; The Danforth house.  
_

"Hey, Tay. I'm on my way over, okay? I called Sharpay, she should be at your place now, and then we can head to lunch? I've got some sorting out to do and I need you guys to listen. Oh, and sorry for missing your million calls and texts, I didn't wake up until noon today. Oh, I'm here!" Gabriella rattled off, clicking the End Call button on her phone and putting her car in park, before jumping out and sprinting to the front door of the Danforth house.

* * *

_Sunday Afternoon ; Game.  
_

"Hey, Chad? I'm with Zeke right now; get your ass over to Game fast. Seriously, man," Troy ended the phone call and spun the small device in his hands nervously. He had reached the restaurant an hour after holding Gabriella in his arms and his patience, nerves, and hormones were all over the place. Tapping his foot anxiously, Troy took another sip of water and ran a hand through his hair, hoping Chad would walk through the door any minute and they could figure it all out.

"You okay, man?" Zeke slapped a comforting hand on his shoulder, pulling up a chair next to him and placing a plate of cookies on the table.

"Just freaking out,"

"Let me guess…Gabi?"

"Right on the nose, man," Troy breathed out.

"I can't catch a break!" a voice interrupted the boys and they turned to see Chad throw his arms up in frustration, before plopping down in an empty seat. "Tay's freaking out over the wedding, Sharpay's ready to claw my eyes out for god knows what reason, and Gabriella practically kicked me out of my own house! Fucking women," he mumbled, snatching a cookie and stuffing it in his mouth.

"Gabriella's at your house?" Troy swallowed nervously.

"Yeah, why?" Chad raised his eyebrows skeptically. "What did you do?" he asked, his voice rising.

"I didn't do anything, I swear! Things just…took a turn last night," Troy said sheepishly, running a hand over the back of his neck. He knew that look in Chad's eyes too well – that overprotective, big brother, ready-to-kick-your-ass, look.

"What happened?" Zeke asked, nibbling on a chocolate chip cookie.

"Hold up, are we really going to do this? The whole…girlie chat thing? I mean, seriously, guys," Chad commented. A beat of silence followed, before Zeke and Troy raised their eyebrows at their afro-haired friend. "Alright, never mind. Hit me. What happened?" he gave in, grabbing another cookie and leaning forward to hear the story.

* * *

_The Danforth house._

"So, I told him that when I said no, I didn't mean no forever. He told me he loved me, that a part of him always will, but we both sort of agreed we couldn't go back to the way it was before – too much has happened," Gabriella took a sip from her glass of water, brushing a strand of hair away from her eyes, before continuing. "Between losing the baby…and then the proposal…it was too much to just sweep under the rug,"

"Let me see if I get this straight. You both said you still loved each other?" Sharpay thought aloud, her fingers twirling her blonde hair. The girls had planned to head out for lunch, but once Gabriella uttered Troy's name, Chad had been kicked out of the house and they broke out the ice cream.

"Well, not explicitly, but we got the gist of it,"

"But you couldn't go back to the way it was before…right?"

"Correct. Which, I guess, is pretty much a given. We're both different people, in different places in our lives. The thought that a relationship between us could work again is kind of insane," Gabriella mused.

"Except that it's kind of not," Taylor piped up. Her friends raised their eyebrows quizzically at her. "Well, I get that you're both different people in different places and all that…but you and Troy have this connection, this cosmic pull towards each other, you know? Please tell me you've realized that,"

"Tay, I think that's true of any two people that used to date. I mean, Jason and Kelsi dated in high school," Gabriella pointed out, licking her spoon thoughtfully.

"Totally different cases, Montez. Jason and Kelsi hooked up in high school; you and Troy had an actual relationship. Taylor's right," Sharpay tilted her head slightly. "You two have some sort of cosmic pull,"

"I…shut up," Gabriella pouted, resting her chin in the palm of her hand.

* * *

_Game._

"So, getting back together with Gabi is not an option?" Zeke asked.

"It's not an option right now," Troy emphasized his last two words, biting forcefully into a cookie. He was thankful Zeke and Chad had agreed to close up the restaurant for the lunch crowd – plus, it meant free food.

"So, you think it could be an option in the future?" Chad asked.

"I don't…dude, I don't know!" the basketball player ran his hands over his face exasperatedly. "I just think we've got this weird relationship, you know? We talk like we're friends, we flirt, we joke around…"

"You sleep with each other," Chad finished, causing Troy to smack him upside the head. "What? It's true!"

"I told you, we just passed out!"

"Yeah, and when you woke up, you freaked out because the two of you were cuddling!" Chad exclaimed. There was a moment of silence, before he added, "Alright fine. You've got a weird relationship with your ex-girlfriend,"

"Who doesn't?" Zeke chuckled.

"So…what do I do?" Troy asked helplessly. Two pairs of eyes stared back at him blankly, causing him to groan and drop his head onto the table feebly.

* * *

_The Danforth house._

"You guys have a weird relationship," Sharpay announced.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Gabriella rolled her eyes. They had moved from the kitchen into the living room and she was seated on the floor, her elbows resting on the coffee table and her fingers playing with the ends of her hair. Taylor was curled up on the armchair and Sharpay laid down the length of the couch.

"You talk, you flirt, you sleep with each other…"

"I told you! I woke up and he was downstairs making coffee!" Gabriella cried indignantly. "And we were both fully clothed. Sort of," she added meekly.

"Oh, Gabi," Taylor shook her head sadly at her best friend, who just puffed out her lower lip in desperation. "We all know the power of Troy Bolton shirtless – he's got the body of a Greek god,"

"It's true. The man is ripped," Sharpay let out a low whistle and burst into a fit of giggles, causing a smile to spread across Gabriella's lips, before a sigh escaped her mouth.

"Yeah, but now what? What do I do?" she asked, her voice small. Two pairs of eyes stared back at her blankly, causing her to groan and drop her head onto the table feebly.

* * *

_Sunday Evening ; Caraway Health Clinic._

Brian paced his office anxiously, his fingers rubbing the back of his head and his eyes darting back and forth across the spacious room. Less than a week from now, his new practice would open and while his assistant has promised him a full house, Brian needed some celebrity power to get people interested. He wasn't stupid; he lived in Los Angeles, after all – the city crawling with stars. And he wanted his practice to be the only practice celebrities would visit. His father had reminded him that media coverage and public interest was crucial to a start-up business, and Brian had taken the advice to heart. After all, George Caraway was the founder and CEO of Caraway Industries and his advice was pure gold.

So, when Brian ran into Gabriella Montez on a movie set and sparks flew, things had fallen into place. It was an easy relationship; uncalculated and unintentional, but then his father had pointed out a simple plan – date Gabriella and get all her friends to attend the opening ceremony, making as many connections as he could along the way. Gabriella herself wasn't Hollywood royalty, but she ran in some impressive circles. Sharpay Evans, the most promising actress of her generation, would bring star power to Brian's practice. Zeke Baylor, who owned a popular restaurant, could provide a venue for future events. Taylor McKessie, a fellow doctor, could be a potential employee. And most importantly, Chad Danforth, a sports coordinator on big films, could bring in the majority of Brian's clients. It had started off as an innocent relationship, but after his father's plan came into play, it started becoming more complicated.

At around the same time he was trying to use Gabriella's friends, Troy Bolton came into town and suddenly, Brian felt her slipping away. They started getting into bigger fights, mostly about her not telling him about Troy being back in town. But he had been the bigger person, hadn't he? He had swept it under the rug and even agreed to go to Troy's housewarming barbecue, which of course, ended in what were now two ridiculously huge bruises on his jaw. Brian shook his head and sat down on his comfortable leather chair, cradling his head in his hands. Gabriella was his ticket to stardom for his practice. Okay, so maybe cheating on her with Ashley was a bad idea – she had been a one night stand that had gotten far too needy – but Brian was fairly certain Gabriella had run straight into the arms of Troy after things had blown up in their faces. Brian clenched his fists, remembering how close Troy and Gabriella were, the night he interrupted them outside Zeke's restaurant. It wasn't just that he wanted to keep Gabriella to himself and that he was jealous. It was that without Gabriella, Brian had no star buzz with his practice opening. Somewhere along the way, his business became more important than his relationship. But catching Troy and Gabriella in an almost-kiss had twisted his heart and his head. Hadn't everything been going perfectly before Troy Bolton came into town?

Brian was partly at fault, he knew that. There was the cheating, the neglecting, and the careless way he had treated Gabriella. But Brian's business-minded brain knew that if he wanted to succeed, he'd have to win her back.

Fighting Troy Bolton to get her back?

Well, that was just a bonus.

* * *

**There it is! I'm not totally over the moon with this chapter (then again, when am I ever? Lol), but it had to be written. I wanted to show the close relationships Gabi has with Sharpay and Taylor, likewise with Troy and Zeke and Chad. Again, there's no definitive label on Troy and Gabriella's relationship, but there's an attraction there, obviously.**

**I hope I gave some good insight to Brian's character. I know, I said I absolutely hated him in the earlier chapters (he is the antagonist, after all), but I think showing him and how he thinks is kind of integral. Hopefully I did it right and you guys understand what I'm trying to portray...any questions, shoot them my way! =) I'm already working on the next chapter, which will be more eventful than this, I promise! **

**Until then, why don't you do me a big, big favor and press that little Review button below this A/N? Pretty please? =)**


	12. Chapter 12: Promises

**Hi guys! Okay, so first off, thank you so much for all the feedback and comments you've given me - so appreciated! I love you readers. =)**

**Second, here's the next chapter! I had the idea planned out in my head for a while, but writing it was kinda hard. Lol. Hopefully you guys like it - I really do! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I own no one.**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Promises**

Gabriella was perched on the edge of Sharpay's bed, dodging articles of clothing that flew past her head. Her roommate, simply put, was losing her mind. The blonde was digging through her closet, tossing shoes, skirts, and the odd purse over her shoulders. When she finished rummaging through the mess, she would pace up and down the room, muttering silently to herself, before diving back into the mess. It took all of Gabriella's strength and willpower to not burst out laughing.

"What the hell am I supposed to wear?" Sharpay screeched, clutching a white sundress in her hands.

"Okay, first of all, you can let go of the dress," Gabriella replied, causing the piece of clothing to be flung in her direction landing on top of her messy ponytail. "Hey! This is mine!" she cried, pulling it off her head.

"Yeah, well, I borrowed it!" Sharpay snapped. "It's my two year anniversary with Zeke and I don't have anything to wear! He's seen me in everything I own!"

"He's also seen you in a lot less,"

"Shut it, Montez!"

"Okay, okay! Geez," Gabriella rolled her eyes, getting up and walking over to the closet. "What about the pink mini dress? You could wear it with my black boots,"

"I wore practically the same thing at that premiere last weekend," Sharpay shook her head sadly.

"Well…I don't know!" Gabriella cried, exasperated. "Look, maybe you just need a break," she suggested. Sharpay pouted her lips, before admitting defeat.

"Okay, fine. Maybe I will end up going butt naked,"

"I wonder how the other people at the restaurant will feel about it,"

"Oh, please, they'll be whipping out their cell phones in no time," Sharpay giggled. "Alright, getting my mind off clothing…how are things with Troy?" she asked, dumping the contents of her jewelry box onto the pink, carpeted floor.

"They're…decent," Gabriella shrugged. "We haven't hung out or anything, but he's texted a couple of times, just to see what was up. I think the last time I saw him was when we ran into each other at Game a couple of weeks ago," she recalled.

"I just find it amazing that there's no real repercussions to you guys sleeping together," Sharpay laughed, untwisting a necklace.

"We didn't sleep together!" Gabriella cried. "We just…passed out together," she crinkled her nose in thought. "Besides, he was shirtless. You know shirtless Troy is difficult to argue with,"

"Oh, definitely. But it's kind of nice, that you two can just slip back into conversation like nothing happened," Sharpay pointed out. "Do you think you'd be pissed if he started seeing someone?"

"Um…no," Gabriella bit her lip, running through the possibility in her mind. She conjured up an image of a random girl and imagined her running her hands through Troy's hair…the thought made her clench. "Maybe…if I never see her," she added, after hesitation. Sharpay nodded, raising her eyebrows at her best friend, who now seemed to be daydreaming. The girls were silent for a while, untwisting necklaces and separating jewelry, before the house phone started to ring. Before Sharpay could say anything, Gabriella leapt up and ran towards it.

"Hello?" she said breathlessly, cradling the phone to her ear.

"Gabriella?" a familiar voice answered, but she couldn't quite place it.

"Yes?"

"It's…Brian," Gabriella sucked in a breath, ready to slam the phone down, before he started speaking quickly. "Don't hang up, please! I just want to talk to you. No yelling, no fighting, no ulterior motives, I swear, just…a civilized conversation,"

"Huh," she replied.

"Look, I know I hurt you and I don't deserve a minute of your time at all, but please, it would really mean a lot if we met. I just feel like there's a lot of unfinished business between us," he said, and Gabriella heard the sincerity in his voice. Feeling her walls start to crumble, she shook her head slightly, even though he couldn't see her.

"I don't think it's such a good idea," she said softly.

"Gabi…Gabriella, please, I'm begging you. Just half an hour, you can pick the place and time," he pleaded. She winced, knowing that he really was being genuine.

"I…okay, fine," she huffed, exhaling loudly. "Tonight at 6, meet me at the coffeehouse down my street," she suggested.

"Thank you. I'll be there,"

"Don't make me regret this, Brian," she warned, before slamming the phone down. Clutching the ends of the table, her knuckles turned white, as she tried to regain her breathing. Did she really just do that? Agree to have a coffee date with her ex-boyfriend, who had cheated on her? Not to mention, she was still reeling from the after-effects of her and Troy's unfinished relationship. _'Pull it together, Montez_,' she coached herself, before groaning loudly and rushing back to Sharpay's room to tell her the news, where she was certain, more than just clothes were going to be thrown at her head.

* * *

_"We lost the baby," Troy choked out, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands cradling his head. Chad's eyebrows shot up in surprise and immediately moved to sit down next to his best friend. When Troy had shown up at his dorm room in Albuquerque, unannounced, Chad knew better than to push the issue. It could only be one of the three things Troy loved the most – basketball, his family, or Gabriella._

_ "How did…when?" Chad swallowed, trying to remember the last time he had heard of Gabriella and Troy's unexpected pregnancy. It had been when Taylor called him up at 4 AM in the morning, hysterically shrieking, because Sharpay had just called her. A few days later, Troy had told Chad himself._

_ "I don't know. She went to the doctor a couple of days ago," Troy pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. "Then I get a call from Sharpay, who's worried, because Gabi won't come out of her room. And when I try and call her, nobody answered,"_

_ "Why didn't Sharpay just knock the door down?"_

_ "It was locked. And I was really…I was seriously freaking out, man. I mean, what if something happened?" Troy inhaled, trying to regain his composure. "I was just about to catch the next flight to California, when she finally calls me and tells me…we lost the baby," he repeated._

_ "And so then you flew back home?"_

_ "I don't…I don't fucking know. All I know is that if I go over to California, I'm going to see Gabriella and she's going to be this…this tiny shell of a person, you know?" Troy choked back tears and Chad gulped, trying to hold back his own. He didn't need to say any more than that. Gabriella, even though she was the baby of their East High group, had always been the strongest and most capable. She was the person everybody ran to for advice, for comfort, and for healing. The thought that she had been broken not only make Chad want to punch whoever did it, but it also made him scared to see her vulnerable._

_ "Yeah, but…dude, you need to go to her. You're the only person she can talk to about this," Chad reasoned, clapped a comforting hand on Troy's shoulder. "Not Sharpay, not Taylor, not her mom…no one else but you,"_

_ "What if I can't, Chad? What if this is something we can't get past?" Troy rubbed the back of his head, leaning against the couch._

_ "Hey, that's crazy talk. You're Troy and Gabriella. You guys are made for each other," Chad said simply. "When we were in high school, you guys were the couple to beat. This? This is just another speed bump,"_

* * *

Gabriella considered herself to be a fairly reasonable person. She was levelheaded, conscientious, and controlled. She liked order, she liked routine, and she liked tidiness. She was the kind of person who loved putting things into boxes that were neatly labeled, the kind of person who always got ready for bed in the same way. When she went out, Gabriella rarely got herself into strange or dangerous situations – she saved those for Sharpay, during her days as a single lady.

So, how exactly did she end up stinking drunk on a Friday night, stumbling in her heels, trying to pace back and forth discreetly in front of Troy Bolton's house?

The night had started normal enough. She had helped Sharpay get ready and watched as Zeke presented her with a bouquet of flowers. She had thrown on a pretty dress, grabbed a pair of heels, fluffed her hair, and tried hard not to think about what seeing Brian would feel like. But the minute she stepped into the coffee shop and saw him sitting in a corner, Gabriella felt her heart start to twist. It was obvious he hadn't been sleeping and he looked downright miserable. She had chastised him about it, he had playfully agreed, and their conversation was actually somewhat tolerable. _'That is, until he started talking about our relationship,'_ Gabriella thought to herself. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the memory of Brian confessing the whole reason why he had cheated – that he had wanted to come clean, but couldn't, for the sake of his new practice. That he wanted her to make a special appearance at the opening, because all her friends would attend, as well. It made Gabriella sick to her stomach that someone would use her for their personal gain and she had fought with him about it, until he threw the Troy Bolton weapon back into her face. He accused her of emotionally cheating on him and when Gabriella had stayed silent, Brian changed his tactics.

"Come on, we'll be great together. I could see myself building a life with you, Gabriella. You and me, we'd be amazing. We have a future – a house, a marriage, even kids someday," he said. And at the last part, Gabriella had looked up at Brian with wide, terrified eyes, and sprinted for the door. She drove to the nearest bar she could find, ordered one tequila shot, and it was downhill from there.

The next thing she knew, she was standing in front of Troy Bolton's house, her finger raised to press the doorbell. She knew it was a bad idea. At least, the sane, rational, and safe part of her did. But the other part, the reckless, wild, and spontaneous part, wanted this. So without hesitation, she pressed the doorbell and waited.

* * *

_"Gabi? Gabi, open up!" Troy pounded on the door of his girlfriend's bedroom, his eyes weary and tired. After talking with Chad, he had hopped on a plane to California and was pretty sure he had spent far too much on his parents' credit cards._

_ "Troy, it's not going to work. She's not going to come out for anybody!" Sharpay threw her hands up in the air in frustration. She was sitting down against the wall, her legs stretched out before her. _

_ "How do you know that?" he shot back, before pounding on the door again. "Gabriella, please, just let me in!" He was desperate now, running his hands through his hair nervously. Sharpay was about to say something, before the door opened slightly and Troy saw a puffy, dark brown eye staring back at him. "Gabi," he whispered._

_ "Come in," she said softly, pulling back the door. He picked up his duffel bag, giving Sharpay a curt nod, and headed inside. "She's been sitting out there for hours," Gabriella said, curling herself into a ball on her bed. With her knees tucked up to her chest and her glossy waves fanned out behind her, Troy's heart ached at the sight of his broken girlfriend. She had been so strong, always helping other people when they needed it, that Troy knew Chad was right – he needed to be there for her this time._

_ "She's worried about you. We all are," he said, dropping to his knees and resting his arms on the bed, his face inches away from hers. "Just tell me what happened, Gabi," he coaxed._

_ "I…I lost it," she mumbled, her lower lip quivering. "I went to the doctor and that's what she said – you lost the baby. Just like that," Gabriella smiled softly at him and Troy saw tears brimming in her eyes. "I loved it, Troy. The baby, I mean. But I only realized it after I lost it," she choked out._

_ "Gabi…hey, it's okay," he stroked her arm comfortingly, feeling the tears spring up in his own eyes._

_ "No, it's not! What if we don't get past this? What if this was our one shot to have a family, to have a future, and it just didn't happen because someone up there knows that we didn't want this baby?" Gabriella cried, her voice in hysterics. She sat up, crossing her legs and clutching a pillow to her stomach. _

_ "Hey, Gabi," Troy frowned, jumping up on the bed behind her and pulling her into his arms in one swift motion. He smiled, feeling her rest her head on his chest, her face buried in his white t-shirt for comfort. "You know what? I don't believe this was our only shot. I'm going to miss that baby, just as much as you. I fell in love with that baby the minute you told me, you know that?" he murmured softly, feeling her breaths return steadily. _

_ "What if…"_

_ "No more what ifs. I love you and that's all that matters with us, okay? One day, when we're older and when the timing is right, we're going to get married – you and me. And we're going to start a family. And that will be our shot, okay?" _

_ "You promise?"_

_ "I promise," he whispered, kissing her lightly on the forehead._

* * *

The doorbell rang and with a quiet groan, Troy set down his weights, grabbed his bottle of water and towel, and walked to the door. It was 9 PM on a Friday night and although he had gotten a fair amount of invites to go out, Troy had decided against it and wound up working out in his gym, instead. Taking a long swig of water, he opened his front door and his eyes widened in shock immediately. Gabriella was steadying herself against the frame, her cheeks flushed and her hair a tangled mess. She stumbled when the door opened and held her arms out for balance, as she tried to right herself.

"Troy!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck, before he guided them both inside and shut the door with his foot, behind him. _'Shit, she's drunk,'_ he thought.

"Hey…what are you doing here?" he asked, holding on to her small waist.

"I was out! At a bar! With a guy!" she shouted. Biting her lip, she frowned in thought, before adding, "Well, at least I think I was with a guy. Who cares?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Troy cried, as she let go of his neck and spun around, stumbling towards the kitchen. "Okay, you need water," he chuckled, picking her up swiftly and setting her on the kitchen counter. Drunk Gabriella had always been his specialty – no one could get her to calm down like he could. _'Although, I guess I can't use the same techniques I did in high school,'_ he laughed silently in his head.

"You know what I want?" she wondered aloud. Troy looked back at her hesitantly. She had grabbed several grapes from the fruit bowl and was now popping them in her mouth nonchalantly. He didn't know if it was all the endorphins from working out, but he couldn't stop thinking that she looked _damn_ sexy, even if she was wasted.

"What's that?" he played along, handing her a glass of water.

"Tequila!" she cried, taking a long sip of water, before jumping off the counter and straight towards his liquor cabinet. Troy groaned, running a hand over his face. Who in their right mind had let her get this wasted?

"Gabi, what are you…where were you before this?" he asked, coaxing the bottle of Jose Cuervo out of her hands.

"Well…" she bit her lip. Troy stifled a laugh, watching her think so hard. "Sharpay's out with Zeke, because it's their anniversary. And then I went out with Brian," she lifted her hands up with a flourish.

"Hold up, Brian? What were you doing with him?"

"Well, that's why I'm not with him anymore! That's why I'm here, right?" she staggered to the cabinet, pulling out shot glasses and placed them evenly in front of them.

"Gabi, what did he do to you?" he said sternly, grabbing her arms and turning her to face him. Troy was getting tired of picking up the pieces, he realized. Sure, he cared a lot about Gabriella and would always be there to protect her, but he just wished guys like Brian would stop messing with her head in the first place.

"He didn't! Ow, Troy, get _off_," she struggled out of his grip, crossing her arms over her chest. "He didn't do anything! I left him at the coffee shop and then I went to the bar,"

"Oh. Okay," he frowned, trying to process the information.

"Why do you care, anyway?" she cried out, suddenly. Troy took a step back away from her, surprised.

"What?"

"You! You with the caring and the happy words and the nice arms!" she pointed at him accusingly. Under any circumstances, Troy would have laughed the whole situation off – this tiny woman coming at him, her feet tripping over each other, with a death glare in her eyes.

"Hey, I thought we talked about this," he raised his hands up in surrender, as she got closer and closer.

"First, we had the baby and then we lost it! Then, you proposed and we lost it again! I'm tired of losing things with you, Troy!" she poked his chest forcefully.

"Geez, Gabi, you had to get drunk to bring this up?" he chuckled softly to himself, before she looked up at him, her eyes dark, and started slapping him in the chest, tears streaking down her cheeks. Blow after blow, she came at him and all Troy could do was let her, stumbling back with each soft punch, until he noticed they were in the living room. "Gabriella!" he cried, grabbing her by the wrists and holding them in place.

"You promised me! You promised me that we'd get married and have a family! That it wasn't our only shot, that you believed that!" she choked out. "I believed you, you idiot!"

"I meant it! Damnit, Gabriella, I meant it!" he looked down at her, shocked, in awe, and completely confused.

"Yeah, you did! So what happened, huh, Troy? What the fuck happened?" she said softly, stepping away from him. "Brian promised me all those things too. He said we could have it all, that we could have a family. But you said it to me first and it felt so real, realer than anything he could have said. I just…I don't know," she sighed, wiping away her tears, and Troy knew she wasn't talking drunk anymore. Somewhere along the way, she had sobered up and as he looked at the petite figure, her hair tangled and her eyes puffy, his heart ached to make the hurt and confusion go away. Maybe they didn't deserve each other anymore. She had said it herself – they had lost the baby and the proposal. What if that was their shot at a future together and the moment had passed?

"Maybe…maybe Brian's promises could be real, too," he gulped, hating to hear the words spill from his mouth.

"What?" she snapped, her head coming up to lock eyes with him.

"Maybe I was wrong," he shrugged.

"You're saying I should go back to him?"

"I'm saying that maybe we did only have that one shot," he looked down at the floor, averting his eyes from her.

"Troy," she said, her voice strangled with anger, confusion, and frustration.

It took two seconds. He looked up at her and in one swift motion, Gabriella flung her body into his arms, immediately wrapping her legs around his waist, and crashing her lips onto his.

* * *

**Woot! There you go! There were two flashbacks in this chapter, hope that turned out well. And OMG, Gabriella kissed Troy! Yay! Lol. Also, the whole reason why Gabriella went out and got super drunk is because, well, Brian is talking about having a marriage and kids with her...it brings back the memories of her and Troy, obviously. =) Ah, I really like this chapter. =)**

**Please read and review, I'd love to know what you think! =)**


	13. Chapter 13: Of Basketball Jerseys

**I'm back! I know, I've been gone for_ forever_ it seems! Lol. It's just been crazy busy - I started interning at a publishing company a month ago and I just haven't had the time to sit down and write, I've just been working, meeting up with friends, dealing with family stuff...it's been nuts.**

**But never fear, because here's another chapter! In the last one, I was kind of mean and left it at a cliffhanger, but basically - Troy & Gabi kissed! Finally! Granted, she was drinking before that, but you'll see...it all gets dealt with in this chapter! I really like this one and I hope you guys like it, too. So go ahead and enjoy! =)**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Of Basketball Jerseys and What Could Have Been**

"Do you realize this is the second time we've lost Gabriella in like, two months?" Chad asked, tapping his fingers impatiently on the kitchen counter. The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a glow over the room and over four cranky, tired, and worried adults. Taylor was busy popping bread into the toaster, Sharpay was sitting on Zeke's lap, nursing a mug of coffee, while Chad paced the room anxiously.

"That can't be right. She's so levelheaded. And responsible. Running away with no note is so…" Sharpay trailed off.

"You?" Taylor finished. Sighing, she plopped a stack of toast on her plate and shoved it across the counter, where Zeke grabbed one immediately.

"Shut up, McKessie. She's your best friend too, you know,"

"You're her roommate! Maybe you shouldn't have let her run off with her psycho ex-boyfriend!"

"Has anyone tried to call Brian?" Chad piped up.

"Of course we have, you idiot. He's not picking up his phone. Which means Gabriella is probably lying in a ditch somewhere. Dead," Sharpay added the last word with a shiver.

"You're being dramatic," Taylor rolled her eyes.

"I'm an award-winning actress,"

"The Star Dazzle Award, you mean," she scoffed. Sharpay opened her mouth in shock, before putting her mug down and to the surprise of everyone in the room, lunged herself at Taylor's throat.

"Whoa!" Zeke's eyes widened and he rushed forward to pull his girlfriend off Taylor, who was already throwing punches. "Getting into fights isn't going to help anything!" he cried. "Hold up, Chad, what are you trying to say?" Sharpay shrieked, as Zeke tossed her over his shoulder and he looked at Chad, who was holding Taylor back.

"Call Troy!" he choked out, as Taylor swung her arms and hit him square in the chest. "Geez, Tay, calm down!" he shouted, pinning her arms straight. Zeke let Sharpay down and headed towards the phone.

"Why would she be with Troy? She went out with Brian last night, not the basketball lunkhead," Taylor panted.

"Totally. She probably just hooked up with some random guy at a bar." Sharpay shrugged, fluffing her hair and rolling her eyes, before going to stand next to Taylor.

"How can you guys go from lunging at each other's throats to best friends in five seconds?" Chad wondered, watching the girls fling their arms around each other's shoulders.

"It's called friendship, Danforth," the blonde shot back. "Sweetie, put the phone down. She won't be at Troy's. You should have heard her last night, rambling on about how they're just friends," Sharpay said, walking over to Zeke, who had the phone pressed to his ear.

"You girls may know something about friendship, but we know Troy," he answered.

"That makes no sense," Taylor frowned.

"Exactly. Now hang back and let me do the work, alright?" Zeke sighed tiredly, before turning his attention back to the phone.

* * *

_'My head hurts.'_

Gabriella cracked open one eye and fearfully shut it closed again, as the sun streamed in. '_No, my head really hurts.'_

Groaning, she sat herself up on the couch and cradled her head in her hands. Her wild, frizzy mane was out of control and she pushed it off her shoulders, trying to make the room stop spinning.

"Oh, look who's up," the voice made her squeak and snap her head up, which only resulted in another sharp pain through her head. Massaging her temple, she squinted up into the light and saw Troy, dressed in his basketball shorts. She noticed his hair was damp and figured he'd been out for a run. Cracking him a weak smile, she leaned back into the couch.

It was right about then that Gabriella realized where she was. Dressed in a pretty dress that stank of alcohol and her purse turned upside down on the coffee table, it hit her that she was at her ex-ex-boyfriend's house. The thought made her cringe, which made her dizzy, which was exactly when she felt the bile rising in her throat. Gabriella's eyes widened and she clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Yeah, you're at my place. Nothing happened…at least, um," Troy moved to sit next to her and the couch tilted slightly from his weight, causing her to groan involuntarily. "Hey, don't worry about it. Gabi, we've got to…set up some ground rules or something," he mumbled, looking down at his feet. "Things last night got a little out of hand and…hey, you don't look so good," he dragged his eyes back up to meet hers and Gabriella shook her head, before sprinting out of the living room to find the nearest bathroom.

* * *

"Troy's not picking up," Zeke said, setting the phone back down.

"Big whoop. He's probably shooting baskets or in the gym," Taylor rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her orange juice.

"It's a Saturday morning. He sleeps in and plays his xBox," Chad pointed out.

"How did he get in the NBA, again?" Sharpay giggled. "Look, so he's not picking up his phone. He's probably in the shower. It doesn't answer the question, though. Where the hell is Gabriella?"

"In the shower…with Troy?" Taylor joked, but her eyes were serious. "Look, Shar, it's not completely impossible. It could've happened," her words hung in the air as the others looked at each other for answers. It was tense, as they each thought about the implications of Troy and Gabriella possibly getting back together. Sharpay's excited clapping broke the silence and the others turned to stare at her.

"Easy-peasy. We go and surprise Troy!" she cried.

"Are you crazy? What if she's not there?" Chad pointed out.

"Then she's not there and I can steal his food – Gabi totally forget to go grocery shopping," Sharpay shrugged, before relenting. "Look, what if she is there, alright? It's a start," she clapped her hands again and walked out of the kitchen. Taylor, Chad, and Zeke nodded their heads and followed her lead.

* * *

"Please tell me I didn't make a complete fool of myself last night. Please?" Gabriella pleaded, hugging her knees close to her chest and taking a sip of the coffee Troy had made her.

"You didn't make a complete fool out of yourself last night," he repeated.

"Did I…did we…kiss?" she mumbled.

"You kissed me," he said simply, running a hand through his hair. After Gabriella had gotten sick, Troy had found her in the nearest bathroom and gotten her some coffee – after she showered and changed into an old East High basketball jersey.

"Oh, god," she groaned, resting her head on her knees. "That's bad,"

"I'd say it was the opposite of bad, really," he chuckled.

"I was drunk. Way drunk," she reasoned.

"Were you, though?" he asked, his voice dropping softly and moving towards her. She looked at him wide-eyed and bit her lip, as she noticed the familiar smell of him – like tobacco and vanilla.

"Yes," she whispered. Gabriella thought back hard to the night before. She remembered running out of the restaurant, away from Brian, but after that, it had all been a blur. Racking her brain for some sort of remnant from the previous night, the memory hit her like a ton of bricks. She had lashed out at him, asking him why they couldn't have had it all. He had fought back and told her to take up Brian's offer. And the kiss. Oh, the kiss. As if snapping out of a dream, Gabriella touched her lips softly and saw that Troy had come close – his arms steadied himself on either side of her and his forehead touched hers.

"Did you mean it?" she asked, her voice barely audible. Troy opened his mouth to say something and Gabriella held her breath in anticipation.

"Bolton!" a familiar, shrill, and interruptive voice rang through the empty house, breaking Troy and Gabriella apart. He jumped back a few feet, causing his coffee to spill and Gabriella dropped her mug completely, shattering it on the floor. Glancing at each other quickly and nodding, she sidestepped the mess and raced to grab a broom, while Troy started to wipe up the spilled coffee.

"So, this is what it looks like when the world is about to end – Troy on his hands and knees, cleaning," Chad joked. The basketball player looked up, shaking strands of his hair out of his eyes, to find Chad, Taylor, Zeke, and Sharpay (who was suspiciously carrying a basket of mini-muffins) standing in the spacious kitchen doorway.

"I never thought I'd see the day," Sharpay piped up, dropping the basket on the counter with a loud thunk. "Listen, do you know where Gabriella is?"

"Why…why would I know where she is?" he stammered. He was still panting, trying to get his breathing under control._ 'Did I seriously just try and make a move on my ex-girlfriend?'_ he thought to himself frantically. An hour ago, he had been having a civil conversation with Gabriella, when all of a sudden, he found himself moving closer towards her. It was that damn East High jersey she was wearing – it was his number on the back, after all – and the way her hair tumbled down her shoulders, uncombed and wild, but sexy as hell.

"Oh. My. God," Troy heard Taylor shriek quietly and he felt the air change. Looking back up, he saw Gabriella, who had just skidded in, holding a broom in one hand, dressed in small boxer shorts (they were hers – he had found a pair mixed in with a bunch of his old clothes) and his basketball jersey.

"Oh, look, what do you know? I told you she'd be here," Zeke rolled his eyes. His shoulders drooped and he headed straight for the fridge, pulling out two bottles of Vitamin Water, before tossing one to Chad.

"Gabriella Montez!" Taylor cried, pointing her finger at her best friend, who winced immediately. "You go to dinner with your insane ex-boyfriend and then just disappear on us? Sharpay came home to no note, no message, no…pigeon carrier!" she scolded, flailing her arms. "We were worried sick when you didn't come home! I had to be woken up by Sharpay, for heaven's sake!"

"What she said!" Sharpay piped up, tossing in her two cents, before plopping down on a kitchen stool and unwrapping a mini-muffin.

"We all got woken up by Sharpay, actually. Let me tell you, being on the receiving end of a hysterical actress is not fun. Especially when you're in the middle of doing stuff," Chad pointed out. Sharpay raised her eyebrows with a smirk, while Taylor shushed him.

"The point is," she started, "We were worried sick! You could have called. Or texted. Or Facebooked us," Taylor reasoned, before taking a seat next to Chad.

"Look, I'm sorry, you guys. It was just…a strange night, that's all," she muttered. Troy took a look at her and she immediately averted her eyes from him.

"How did you end up here, anyway?" Zeke asked, his mouth full of muffin crumbs.

"That's…not important. You found me, right? Great," Gabriella shrugged and bent down to sweep up the shards of the mug. Troy, already on his knees, helped clean up the mess, while four pairs of eyes stared quizzically at their friends.

* * *

It was a Monday night when Troy finally got the courage to call Gabriella. Saturday morning, after their friends had ambushed them, turned out into an awkward disaster. Chad and Zeke ended up playing ball at the house, while the girls went off shopping. Sunday was a bust – he was doing media interviews the whole day and had Hilary breathing down his neck about how he wasn't being charming enough. Needless to say, he had spent Monday working off all his frustration and confusion, before jumping in the car and driving to the Evans-Montez house.

"Ah, Bolton. What a nice surprise," Sharpay grinned, holding a glass of water in one hand.

"Hey, Shar," he said, giving her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, before stepping over the threshold.

"Gabi's out back, swimming," she gestured towards the pool. "You might want to prepare yourself," slapping a comforting hand on his shoulder, before bursting into a fit of giggles and walking away. Troy swallowed, trying to muster up all his courage. For a split second, he realized that he felt exactly the same way he did when they first started dating – nervous, anxious, and complete out of his element. Inhaling a deep breath, he started walking towards the backyard. The twinkling fairylights that Chad and Zeke had helped the girls put up a couple of years ago were still dangling across the trees, casting a romantic glow on the pool, which was lit up, as well. Troy sat himself on the edge of one of their deck chairs, watching Gabriella slice through the water with speed and grace. It was a skill she had picked up from an early age, but Troy always remembered her refusal to join the school team – she didn't want the fun taken out of it. Gabriella was headstrong, no doubt about it. But whenever Troy was around, her defenses crumbled and she became vulnerable. Not weak, but softer and more…_'exposed,'_ the word flashed in his mind, as he locked eyes with Gabriella. Sucking in a breath, he watched, as she pulled herself out of the pool and wrung out her hair, twisting it around her hand twice, before letting it go again.

"Could you hand me the towel?" she asked, her hands on her hips. Troy realized he had been staring and frantically grabbed the towel, tossing it to her lightly. "Thanks," she mumbled, running it over her face and flipping her hair over her head. Wrapping the towel around her, she sat down on the deck chair across from him. "Hi," she gave him a small smile.

"Hi," he managed. It was quiet for a while and she fiddled with the ends of her towel.

"Sharpay let you in?"

"Yeah,"

"Oh,"

The conversation was going nowhere – and fast. Troy stood up and paced the length of the deck, trying to formulate the right words.

"Listen, Gabi, I…" he started, turning around to face her. To his surprise, she was already there, one hand on his chest. The sudden move caused him to falter and as he was trying to find the right words, Gabriella leaned up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his lips. Fireworks shot through him and instinctively, Troy pulled her closer, tangling his fingers in her damp hair, until a sudden thought occurred to him – didn't he come here to talk? His mind battled between words or using his mouth for other things, but before things escalated, he gently grabbed her by the arms and pulled away from her. "Damnit, you've got to stop kissing me, Montez," he joked. She shrugged, fingering her lips and relishing in the slight tingle she felt across them. She didn't know what had gotten into her. A few days ago, Gabriella had sworn off boys and was terrified of being in the same room as Troy. But now, after her little act of drunken bravery, she had thrown away all her cares and focused on the fact that he was a damn good kisser.

"I know," she said, defeated. She hated how everything was so much heavier between them, with all the history they had. A kiss wasn't just a kiss anymore, a hug not a hug. Every action held a deeper meaning between them, this unspoken, underlying, giant elephant in the room that Gabriella was refusing to discuss. She wanted passion, love, and happiness and she wanted it with Troy – but could they have it? Was it possible to get another shot at happiness or is one shot all you got?

"Gabi, I think we need to talk," he said, his voice dropping. Her heart twisted, but it was ridiculous – it wasn't as if he was breaking up with her. She nodded and sat down on the patio chairs. Troy sat opposite her and on impulse, she lifted her legs and plopped them on his lap. She saw his eyes widen at the gesture, but he chuckled and didn't move them.

"So…talk," she said, fiddling with the ends of her hair.

"What are we doing, Gabriella?" he sighed, stroking her legs affectionately. She cringed at his use of her full name, but shrugged nonchalantly.

"We're talking,"

"Gabi,"

"Okay!" she cried, throwing her arms up in frustration. "I don't know. I don't know what we're doing. I kissed you last night while I was completely drunk," she pointed out. Troy's eyebrows rose skeptically and Gabriella held his gaze, before averting her eyes away. "Alright, fine. I wasn't totally drunk. I know what I said," she conceded, her shoulders drooping.

"There you go," he nodded, giving her a small smile.

"I can't…I don't know what you want anymore," her voice dropped to a low whisper and tears immediately sprang to her eyes. How did he always manage to do this to her? Hadn't she been doing fine before he came along again? How did he turn her into this weeping and vulnerable girl that always had to be comforted and taken care of?

* * *

Troy closed the front door behind him and leaned against it, letting out a sigh and running a hand through his hair. It was late Monday night – or rather, early Tuesday morning – and he was exhausted. Going over to Gabriella's was the right thing to do, he still stood by that, but he had gone to find answers, some confirmation, and some closure. He left completely confused. She had cried in his arms and they had talked about the future, the past, and the present. She had asked him what he wanted and he couldn't answer her. How could he? Troy was new in town, had only just settled in, and was just about to start the biggest step in his basketball career. He didn't know what he wanted, other than playing a great first game with the Lakers – that was the only thing he was sure of._ 'Well, that, and maybe getting a dog,'_ he thought lamely to himself. Sure, it was lonely to come home to an empty house at night, but did that mean he needed Gabriella? Or would any company do?

For the first time in his life, the folders in Troy's mind gave up trying to organize themselves and they lay, defeated, scattered, and mixed up with everything else. His past had finally collided with his present and he was grappling with balancing the two. He and Gabriella had talked until the sun rose, about what the other wanted, needed, and couldn't have. For a while, it felt like old times, and he could almost smell the New Mexico night air. But in the end, they had decided on nothing. All that talk for nothing. He didn't know what he wanted; he didn't know what his future held for him. And Gabriella? She was just as confused as he was. She was still scarred from Brian and his twisted attempt at getting her back – Troy had a feeling he wasn't going to go away that easily. And although Gabi wouldn't admit it, Troy knew she was still struggling with those two days she couldn't take back. Losing the baby and saying no – she couldn't seem to forgive herself for either, which was odd, considering he had forgiven her for rejecting his proposal. In any normal account, he was supposed to be the heartbroken one – after all, he was the one who still had that diamond ring. But he had dealt with his anger and heartache, playing through his pain, while Gabriella had let it rest and burn away at the back of her mind._ 'It was so easy to forget it ever happened, because you weren't physically around. But then you came back,'_ her words repeated themselves over and over in his head.

"Argh!" he cried in frustration, flinging his keys across the foyer. They skidded against the floor, hitting the wall and in the silence that followed, Troy heard a footstep. Launching straight into survival mode, he grabbed a baseball bat Chad had left by his front door and walked slowly into the kitchen. It was dark and he saw a dark figure move. Quickly, he flipped on all the lights and raised his bat, ready to hit, when…

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Hilary asked, leaning one against the kitchen counter, a bottle of beer in one hand. Groaning and rolling his eyes, Troy dropped the baseball bat and slunk to the small couch set up in the corner of the kitchen. "Wow, you look like crap," she pointed out. Troy glared at her and threw up the middle finger, before twisting his body into the plush sofa, away from his annoying assistant. "Alright, up you go, Bolton. Stop moping," she whacked him on the shoulder.

"Why are you here?" he whined into the pillow. He knew he was being difficult, but it was late (or early? He couldn't decide) and he was tired.

"Because I know you call me a personal assistant, but I'm also your friend," she said. "And I ran out of beer," giggling, she took another sip and sat down on the edge of the couch, near his feet. "What's gotten into you, Troy?" her voice was soft now and he knew she was changing tactics.

"I don't know. I'm sucking at life,"

"You're the newest member of the Lakers – you're a god,"

"We didn't decide on anything," he muttered. "Nothing's changed. I don't think we can bounce back again," he hadn't said any names, but Hilary knew – after working with him for two years, she knew all about his high school sweetheart.

"Maybe you weren't meant to," she shrugged.

"After all that…nothing," his eyes glazed over and Hilary sighed. Lovesick Troy was not fun to deal with. Lovesick and suffering from heartache? Even worse.

"How did you leave it?"

"She said, 'we'll see what happens.' And then we kissed each other goodnight,"

"Talk about great closure, huh?" Hilary joked, patting him on the back. Troy shot her a dirty look, before flipping onto his stomach and burying his face into the pillow.

* * *

Gabriella hugged her knees tightly, leaning against the headboard of her bed. Troy had left and there was that familiar, gaping hole in her heart again. Absentmindedly running her fingers along the pink fabric of her pajama bottoms, she scanned her bedroom randomly. Books, posters, papers, and clothes laid on just about every surface, but her heart jumped when she saw a familiar jersey poking out of a laundry bag. What was once bright red was now faded, only the white number still clear. Gabriella reached across her bed and pulled the jersey out, slipping it over her head wordlessly._ 'It still smells like him,'_ she thought. Their conversation from earlier was still replaying itself in her head – they had decided on doing nothing, no getting back together or staying apart. The non-decision was difficult for both to take, but Gabriella knew it was the right thing to do. Curling up into a little ball, Gabriella tried to let the night fall over her, but she couldn't sleep. Sighing loudly, she flipped on her lamp and opened one of the side table drawers. Underneath a mess of old letters and forgotten pictures, a small, crinkled, pink and blue striped envelope sat. She pulled it out of the drawer and stared at it for a few minutes, turning it over in her hands, examining it closely. She knew what was in it – Gabriella had put it in there herself, years ago. Back when she thought she could forget it. Sliding open the envelope flap, she dumped the contents onto her bed and let out a breath. There it was.

A sonogram, a napkin with a list of potential baby names, and a pair of blue baby booties. She felt her heart pounding in her ears and for a split second, Gabriella wondered if she was going to faint. She ran her fingers over the items, before picking up the sonogram and holding it to her face. She held out her left hand and wiggled her empty ring finger, trying to remember what could've been, what she could've had. A sob started in the back of her throat and she gasped, as it took over her whole body. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she cuddled up into a ball, holding out her ring finger and placing the sonogram next to her. Gabriella had cried for many things before. Breakups, deaths, goodbyes, movies. But tonight, she thought bitterly, she was crying for what could have been.

* * *

**There it is! Now, I really, really like this chapter - I think Sharpay is hilarious and I love that Troy & Gabi never really resolve anything, because in real life, stuff like this never really gets any explanation.**

**Anyway, I know I've been gone a while, but to those who are still keeping up with the story (and to those who have just found it) - please don't forget to review! **

**Thanks! Xoxo.**


	14. Chapter 14: Rainy Flashbacks

**Hello again! So here's another chapter of It Isn't Over. I really do love this story, but in true me-fashion, I haven't come up with a proper way to end it. I'm still thinking about it, so until then, here's Chapter 14! If you've read this far, I applaud you. =P**

**Last chapter we saw Troy and Gabriella make what I like to call a "non-decision." They're sort of in limbo, that fine line between friends and something more, which is understandable, given the history between the two. You find out a little bit more about that in this chapter, so read on and hopefully, you'll like it! =)**

* * *

**Chapter 14: Rainy Flashbacks**

"So, what do you think?" Taylor asked, stretching out her arms and turning slowly. Sharpay squealed and clapped her hands together, setting down her glass of champagne and walking over to her friend. It was two weeks after Gabriella's second disappearance from her friends and since then, none of them had mentioned the scene in the kitchen. Troy and Gabriella, despite their talk on keeping things the way they were, somehow ended up avoiding each other and in that time, Taylor had decided to shop for wedding dresses.

"You look absolutely stunning! Tay, that dress fits like a glove!" Sharpay exclaimed, teary-eyed.

"It…it looks great, Tay," Gabriella muttered, stifling back a sob.

"Aw, you guys, don't cry!" waving her arms frantically, Taylor lifted the white fabric and stepped off the platform. "Do you think Chad will like it?"

"Oh, honey, forget what Chad likes or doesn't. You look gorgeous in that dress and he's going to die when he sees you," Sharpay said flippantly, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. The girls chuckled and flopped down to sit on either side of Gabriella.

"What do you think, Gabi?" Taylor asked.

"It looks great," she replied, tears in her eyes. Seeing Taylor try on wedding dresses had been fun, until Gabriella saw her best friend try on the dress she knew was perfect. Suddenly, the memories of proposals, lost wedding plans, and everything that could've been flooded her mind and she couldn't breathe. Had it really only been five years since all that had happened? How could she be 25 and gone through so much heartache already?

"Gabi?" Taylor's comforting voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she blinked, looking up at her friend. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine…why?"

"You spaced out for a minute there," Sharpay said, inspecting her nails. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," she replied automatically.

"Is this the Troy thing?" Taylor asked. "You know, you never told us what really happened between you two last month,"

"I did tell you, Tay. Nothing happened," Gabriella sighed tiredly, leaning her head back.

"Then why are you being little miss moody 24/7?" Sharpay asked blatantly.

"Just let it go, will you?" Gabriella snapped. At the sight of her best friends' wide, surprised eyes, she sighed again. "I'm sorry, you guys. I'm just…on edge. I don't know," she shrugged, getting up from her seat and walked over to the racks of gorgeous, designer dresses.

"Is it Troy?" Taylor asked softly and cautiously. Gabriella turned, facing her friends again and almost lost it at the sight of them. Taylor, wearing a stunning dress that looked like the white fabric had been poured on her, and Sharpay, who was examining her nails anxiously, while darting averted gazes at her. Several months ago, Gabriella could've smiled along and hid her emotions, but ever since that night, the night Troy came to visit her and she cried in her room over their lost baby and engagement, she was struggling keeping her emotions undercover. It was as if Troy arriving back in her life had broken down all her defenses.

"It is and it isn't," Gabriella replied. "He and I are friends. He needs to focus on his basketball game right now and I need to focus on…something else,"

"Can I just ask you one question?" Sharpay asked. "Is Brian still in the picture?"

"God, Shar, I don't have a clue, okay?" Gabriella admitted, a defeated look in her eyes. She threw her hands up in frustration and groaned. "Brian wants me back," she whispered.

"Fucking idiot," Sharpay muttered under her breath.

"Is that what he talked to you about that night?" Taylor asked.

Gabriella nodded, wringing her hands together nervously. "He wants a life with me. The whole thing. Engagement ring, wedding, baby, family, house…all of it," she explained.

"No wonder you lost it,"

"Totally understandable," Sharpay nodded, picking up a champagne glass and handing it to the brunette, who downed it in one gulp. She tapped her fingers against the delicate glass, biting her lip.

"I don't want that with Brian. I don't want Brian at all," she murmured. The room was silent, save for the shuffling of a store clerk in the background, as the girls pondered Gabriella's current situation.

"Do you want Troy?" Sharpay said, her voice dropping to an almost whisper. Gabriella turned to look at her, a mix of confusion, pain, and sadness etched across her face. She knew who and what she didn't want, but couldn't decide if Troy fit into that category. Their distanced conversations and length of physical space between them was difficult to accept, but there was a time when they were close – Gabriella couldn't let herself forget that, she wouldn't. And for some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about what could've been. Ever since their conversation that didn't lead to anything, Gabriella's mind had been stuck in the past, thinking about what her life would be like if she had said yes or if she hadn't lost the baby.

* * *

_It was a cold morning in North Carolina and as Gabriella padded down the stairs sleepily, she noticed a light flurry of snow outside the window. Grabbing the large, wool blanket from the couch, she wrapped it around herself tightly, before making her way into the kitchen and starting up the coffee machine. _'It's beautiful outside. What a perfect Christmas,'_ she smiled to herself. Several weeks ago, Gabriella's mother had told her she'd be going on an Italy tour – something she and Mr. Montez always wanted to do once. At the same time, Troy's parents told him they'd be visiting his aunt in Thailand. With no family to attend to and a lonely holiday ahead, Linda Montez and the Boltons (minus Troy) had splurged on a last-minute plane ticket for Gabriella to spend Christmas in North Carolina. It had been perfect, from the minute she stepped off the plane and into her boyfriend's arms. On all accounts, they had moved on from the miscarriage and their lives were finally beginning to take shape – with Troy a sure bet for the next NBA draft and Gabriella securing a top internship spot at an entertainment law firm in LA. But even though their relationship had fallen back into the same familiarity, she couldn't help but feel the burden and weight of their loss, it would always be with her. While Troy went to practice and trained his frustration away, Gabriella couldn't hide behind law books and case files – the pain was too much and there were times she'd often catch herself holding her stomach, only to remember that there was nothing there anymore. Troy was always there for her, she was grateful for that, but he couldn't understand how much she missed being pregnant, even if it was only for several weeks._

_"You're up," a lazy, sleepy voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she whirled around to see her boyfriend leaning against the door frame. Dressed in a pair of basketball shorts and a wife-beater, he ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more, before taking the mug of coffee Gabriella offered him. "Why?" he murmured, wrapping a strong arm around her waist and pulling her in close._

_"I couldn't sleep. It's pretty outside," she pouted, giving him a quick kiss on the lips._

_"Not as pretty as you," he said smoothly, causing Gabriella to chuckle. "So, what do you want to do today?"_

_"Mmm, let's just hang out here. You know, stare at the Christmas tree before I nag you to put it away,"_

_"I'm not doing that until after New Years, you crazy," he grinned, tucking a strand of Gabriella's hair behind her ear. "Speaking of New Years, you'll still be around, right?"_

_"Unless you plan on being an ass and kicking me out…then yes, I'll be around," she chuckled, running her fingers through his hair, messing it up even more._

_"Seriously, you're never leaving, right?" he smiled up at her and although Gabriella knew it was a joke, there was a determination in his eyes that made her heart skip a beat. As if he wasn't just asking whether she'd be around until New Years, but whether she'd be around for forever. The thought made her feel as if her body split in two – a part of her wanted to leap into his arms, kiss him senseless, and be with him for the rest of her life, while another part wanted to step away and run from the seriousness of their relationship. She forced herself to look into his blue eyes and sighed._

_"Only until I have to get on that plane back to LA," she said softly, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in close._

_It had been a whirlwind of shopping, sightseeing, and late nights, but as Gabriella stepped into the California apartment she shared with Sharpay, she realized she wouldn't have traded it for the world. It had been nice to play house with Troy for a few weeks, but now that she was back home, she welcomed the distance. They were in two separate parts of the country, working towards two separate goals, but the miscarriage was like a wakeup call for Gabriella. She had been given another chance at reaching her dreams, just days after watching them all float away, and she was determined to make the most of it._

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_Pulling off her boots and tossing them by her bedroom door, she crossed the room to turn on her computer, before heading back downstairs to get a glass of water. Sharpay was still on vacation with her family in the Bahamas, while Taylor and Chad were visiting their families in Albuquerque, and Gabriella was more than happy to have the apartment to herself. Opting instead for a bottle of wine, she poured some of the dark red liquid into a wine glass and leaned against the kitchen counter, taking a quiet moment to breathe in and steady herself. It hadn't been an easy flight. She had spent the four hours debating whether or not slowing things down with Troy was a good idea. She knew what Sharpay would say – "That's crazy, you guys had a freaking baby together, why don't you just move in or get married already?" But for Gabriella, that was the crazy part. She couldn't see herself settling down – not just with Troy, but with anybody. She was young and in love, but did that mean she had to commit to something as big as marriage? Her thoughts ran and she was taking her third sip of wine when she heard the doorbell ring. Setting down her glass, she walked cautiously towards the door and opened it slowly, revealing a familiar face – the very same one she had said goodbye to in North Carolina a few hours ago._

_"Troy? What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice a mix of confusion and happy surprise, as she stepped back to let him in. Disheveled, out of breath, and flushed, Troy Bolton looked as if he had just run a marathon. He dropped his bags, ran a hand through his hair, grabbed Gabriella by the arms and kissed her on the lips. Her defense melted and she immediately fit herself into his body, unconsciously slinking her leg around his._

_"Hey," he finally said, pulling away after a couple of seconds. She stared up at him, her eyes wide with disbelief._

_"What are you doing here?" she repeated, smoothing out her hair and bringing a finger to her bruised lips, before taking his hand and steering them into the kitchen. A part of her wanted to continue that kiss and lose herself in the moment, but something in his eyes distracted her, even made her a little scared. Her mind raced with questions as she robotically poured him a glass of wine. She leaned against the counter casually, but stiffened when she saw him making his way towards her. There was something about his gaze that was too intense, something about the way he carried himself that was too…sure._

_"After you left, I realized something. I realized I hate it," he said, clutching her hands in his tightly and gazing into her eyes a little too intensely. She shifted uncomfortably and bit her lip, before he continued. "You and me, we've been solid from the very start. And after losing the baby, we've gotten closer, haven't we?" he searched her face for an answer and she nodded numbly._

_"Troy, I'm…" she started, but he waved his hand dismissively._

_"No, I need to get this out in the open," he shook his head with a resolute and determined expression across his face. "I was watching your plane take off when it hit me – this is our future. With me in the NBA and you in law, we're going to be flying back and forth all the time, trying to see each other whenever we can, trying to make it work. And I'm okay with that, I'm going to look forward to that because I know we can make it. And those reunions are going to be fun as hell. But I don't want just that for us – I want more," he said meaningfully, grazing Gabriella's cheek with his fingers._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I want us. Forever. For always," he added, wrapping his arms around her waist. Gabriella's heart skipped a beat and she shivered. It wasn't unheard of for Troy to be romantic, but the moments were usually followed with a quick kiss and his famous, knee-melting chuckle. Somehow, she knew this was different._

_"We are for always," Gabriella insisted._

_"I don't…I'm not saying I want you to be wherever I am or vice versa. But I want us…Gabi, they'll always say we're too young. But your mom's put you on the fast track since pre-school and my dad's had me shooting free throws since I was two. We grew up before we had to and we've handled it pretty well, I like to think, but now…I want to grow old __with__ you," he said sincerely, looking down at her._

_"Are you…Troy, what are you trying to say?" she asked, her voice shaky and a pitch higher than normal. She saw him reach into his pocket and get down on one knee, before holding a small, black, velvet box up to her. "Oh my…"_

_"Gabriella Montez, will you marry me?" his voice was even, assured, and confident, his eyes never blinking and unwavering. She heard the soft click of the velvet box opening and her eyes looked down, seeing a gorgeous, princess cut diamond ring. Troy held on to her hand tightly and for a second, Gabriella was thankful for it, because the minute the words had left his mouth, she felt as if the world had been tipped on its axis and she was falling. A million thoughts ran through her mind at once and as if on reflex and before she knew what was going on, she ripped her hand away from Troy's. Quickly turning her head away from the pained look that stretched across his face, she stepped back and felt the cold, hard marble of the kitchen counter against her spine._

_"What were you thinking?" she whispered harshly, an unfamiliar anger bubbling up inside her. Troy stood up and snapped the box shut, the sound echoing throughout the apartment. Suddenly, it was like the warmth rushed out of the kitchen and Gabriella felt a detached, unforgivable cold surround her. Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach and all that rose was anger and disappointment. 'How can he possibly think that getting engaged – that getting married – is the next step for us?' she thought lividly._

_"Gabi, I'm serious about this," Troy said, his voice quiet, but determined._

_"Great, well, I'm not," she shot back through gritted teeth. "How could you possibly think this was a good idea?"_

_"Oh, I don't know, maybe because we've been dating since high school? Maybe because we had a baby together?" he pointed out. Gabriella noticed his voice wavering and felt a sick satisfaction in hearing it._

_"I lost the baby, Troy. Not you,"_

_"You don't think it had any effect on me at all?" his voice was rising and Gabriella sat back and watched him. "You don't get to feel that loss all on your own. I loved it just as much as you did. You don't think I cried when we lost it? I had plans too!"_

_"No, you got to keep all your plans, Troy! Your basketball career, the fame, the fortune – you got to keep all of it! You never saw your dreams get taken away from you and you don't know what it's like to be given a second chance to reach it again!" she cried, hot tears springing to her eyes._

_"Damnit, Gabriella!" he shouted, slamming his fist onto the counter. She flinched and her knuckles turned white from gripping the counter behind her. Gabriella had seen Troy angry plenty of times – when his dad got on his case a little too hard or when he didn't play well – but seeing him angry and disappointed was frightening. "Do you think I didn't see my dreams go down the drain? When you told me you were pregnant, I would've given it all up, did you know that?"_

_"I just don't see how you can think getting married is the next step!" she cried._

_"Then why don't you tell me what the next step is? Since you're so obviously clued in," he shot back sarcastically. Gabriella wiped away the tears that were falling and she heard the faint rumble of thunder in the distance._

_"I can't…I need space," she whispered softly, toying with her necklace._

_"Space?"_

_"Troy, I love you. I do. I just want you to think about this, rationally. We're not ready to get married. We weren't ready for a baby. I want to get my life back on track; I want to do well in law. You need to focus on basketball. We're in two separate places, two separate parts of the country. If anything…we should be taking a break," she added the last part in one short breath, searching her boyfriend's face for an expression. Troy stared at her blankly and Gabriella swore she felt her heart breaking – his gaze was cold and harsh._

_"A break?" he muttered in disbelief. The look on his face was so pained that Gabriella began moving towards him, her hand reaching out for his, before he backed away from her, as if she was poison._

_"Why…why do you want us to get married, Troy?"_

_"Because! Because it's the right thing to do, damnit!" he cried. "Because we had a baby! Because we're older! Because everybody expects us to!" Troy was livid, shoving the ring box back into his pocket and pacing the kitchen, running a hand through his hair in frustration. There was a silent pause, before Gabriella spoke, her voice quiet and sad._

_"None of th_o_se reasons were, 'because I love you,'" she pointed out. Troy locked eyes with her, trying to steady his frantic breathing. She felt the distance between them, felt the separation and loss, and as much as Gabriella wanted to say yes to his proposal – it seemed easy, right, and logical – she wouldn't say yes for the wrong reasons._

_"We're done," Troy spat out, turning on his heel, grabbing his bags, and slamming the front door behind him._

* * *

The rain pounded on the window pane and out of the corner of his eye, Troy saw a threatening flash of lightning. It was warm inside, though, he made sure of it the minute he saw big, fat raindrops dot his car windows. Holed up in his living room, Troy had lit as many candles as he could find, found a six-pack of beer, and was now playing a mindless round of Angry Birds on his iPad. He heard his phone vibrate against the coffee table suddenly and reached over to grab it, swiping at the touch screen and lifting it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Bolton, I don't know what you did to her that night, but whatever it was, you have to fix it!" a demanding, high-pitched voice came through the receiver and Troy held the phone away from his ear, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Hi, Sharpay,"

"Don't you try and be nice to me!" she cried. "I'm serious, Troy. Gabi isn't the same anymore and you need to work your charm to get her back,"

"Shar, what's this all about?" he asked tiredly, sitting up and leaning against the back of his couch.

"We went wedding dress shopping with Taylor today,"

"Fascinating,"

"Let me talk!" she scolded him. "I know she's sad and stuck in the past about how the two of you could've had it all, but you're both starting to sound like a broken Adele record! You have two options to put us all out of our misery here. One, you get back together with Gabriella and make both of yourselves the happiest you'll ever be, so that the next time we go wedding dress shopping, it'll be for a Bolton-Montez wedding," Sharpay spat out.

"What's my other option?" Troy winced.

"You both move on. Without each other," she said coldly.

"Shar…"

"No, I know, things are 'complicated' with you two. It'll always be complicated, don't you get that? Just…think about it," Sharpay sighed and hung up, leaving Troy dumbstruck. Setting his unfinished bottle on the coffee table, he raced up the stairs and into the master bedroom. The pounding of raindrops against his window matched the pounding of his heart, as he rummaged through an old box he pulled out of his closet. Shifting through old papers, several defunct cameras, and picture albums, his hand suddenly hit a familiar, velvet box. Pulling it out of the mess, he clutched it in his fist tightly, before making his way back down the stairs into his living room. With the candles burning brightly, Troy sat himself on the couch, turning the small box over and over again in his fingers, afraid to unleash its memories. He remembered walking into the jewelry store and spending hours picking out the perfect ring for his girlfriend. He had been excited, nervous, but most of all, he was confident she would say yes.

Leaning back into the couch cushions, Troy tossed the ring box up into the air and caught it, fingering the velvet fabric softly. He had been hurt and angry and disappointed, and he had never forgiven himself for ending things with Gabriella the way he did. After he had stormed out of the apartment, they didn't talk for a month, until Troy, in a fit of blind rage over losing his third basketball game since the breakup, had packed up everything she had ever left at his place and shipped it over to California. A few weeks later, he had gotten a similar box. 'And then it was over,' he thought bitterly to himself, running a hand through his hair. He opened the ring box and felt the memories of rejection and cruel irony wash over him, surrounded by an image of a beautiful diamond ring. Troy and Gabriella were a complicated story – they always would be. But if he could go back in time, he wouldn't have stormed out of that apartment so quickly. And he definitely wouldn't have ignored Gabriella. And he certainly wouldn't have suggested she go back to Brian. Suddenly feeling frustrated and annoyed with himself, Troy closed the ring box with a definitive snap and tossed it against the couch cushions. Hanging his head in his hands, Troy's mind ran wild with thoughts of Gabriella, of their lost baby, of their could-be wedding and just like that, he understood. He understood her pain and understood why she was still carrying the weight of their history – because he couldn't let it go either. He had tried to repress the memories, hiding behind his basketball career and falling into relationships that would never amount to anything serious. And it had worked for a while, until cosmic fate landed him in Los Angeles and back in Gabriella's life. Troy knew Sharpay was right – they were at a crossroads and had two options. The only problem was, he didn't know what he wanted.

"This is ridiculous," he said out loud, slamming his fist against a cushion. He was distracted by a quick flash of lightning, before the doorbell rang, nearly causing him to fall out of his seat. Stashing the ring box, he walked towards the front door and pulled it open.

This time, Gabriella wasn't drunk. She was sober, clear-headed, and positively scared. Her hair clung to her forehead and she was drenched from the rain, but when Troy pulled open the front door, she offered him a soft smile. His eyes widened at the sight of her, before nodding, as if he knew she was going to end up on his doorstep all along.

"It's cold," she muttered, clutching her arms and shivering, never once breaking eye contact. A pause followed and all that could be heard was the sound of the rain, pattering away around them, until each took one step towards each other. Troy's hair immediately flattened with the water and Gabriella reached up to push it back. He grasped her wrist gently and they locked gazes, their eyes speaking volumes of what they could never say. And as the rain pounded against the pavement and another split-second of lightning flashed somewhere nearby, their lips found each other and didn't stop until he picked her up and carried her inside the house.

* * *

**There it is! I hope you guys liked it. I was a little nervous writing about the proposal, but I think it had to be written, it's sort of the one thing that nobody ever talks about and it needed to be said. **

**But dun dun dun! Gabriella & Troy are at it again. These two, no matter how much distance they try to put between them, just keep coming back. =) I love it. Haha.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading & please review, I'd really appreciate it!**

**Xoxo.**


	15. Chapter 15: Epilogue

**Chapter 15: Epilogue**

_July 2012._

Gabriella leaned back, propping her feet up on the empty chair across from her. Letting out a small sigh of relief, she sipped her glass and took a quick look around. There was a slight breeze that fell around her bare shoulders, but the sun cast a warm glow over the entire tent that took up half the grounds. Across the table, she caught sight of several kids tossing bits of bread into the vast lake.

"Hey, stranger," a breath tickled her ear and she felt a familiar pair of lips kiss her cheek, before Troy emerged, picking up legs and settling them down into his lap comfortably. His finger drew a circular pattern on her calf, as she watched him take a swig from his beer bottle.

"Hi," she murmured breathlessly.

It was like a dream. Gabriella could remember only moments, bits and pieces, but it all seemed to flow together, intertwining and jumbling up into a happy little mess. She still remembered the night that changed it all. Showing up on Troy's doorstep, drenched in rainwater, Gabriella didn't have to plead or beg or listen to a long-winded apology. After being apart, after playing a game of cat-and-mouse for so long, she and Troy somehow found their way back onto the same page. And she remembered looking into his bright, electric-blue eyes, and just knowing that he was it. That Brian didn't matter, that the proposal was in the past, that work could wait…all because of Troy Bolton. So she had done what any sane girl would do – she leaped into his arms, pressed her lips to his, and never looked back.

There had been things to talk about, heavy conversations to be had, and issues to work through. But Gabriella was done crying for what could've been - she needed to smile and anticipate what could be.

"Isn't this wedding amazing?" she asked him excitedly, bouncing her leg up and down on his lap.

"I can't believe Tay did this all on her own. And Chad even looks halfway decent!" Troy chuckled, both of their eyes falling on the groom, who was attempting to break-dance.

"I hope my wedding looks like this someday," Gabriella mumbled, a blush immediately rising in her cheeks when she realized what she had implied. Her and Troy didn't stray away from that topic – after laying everything out on the table, the two had had some interesting conversations about their future together.

"We'll make it look however you want," he said softly, reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. She shivered at his touch, something that clearly hadn't changed since high school. Before she could say anything back, Gabriella caught sight of Taylor and Chad, clumsily making their way to the stage. She briefly wondered if they were tipsy or just excited, but couldn't hold back her giggle when she saw Chad tap at the mic confusedly.

"Hello?" his voice seemed too loud for the tent and he pulled back, a sheepish look on his face. "Whoa, sorry! Okay, um. Me and my new _wife_ have a few words we'd like to say," Chad grinned, dropping a sweet kiss on Taylor's cheek, before letting her have the floor. Gabriella watched breathlessly as her best friend readjusted her intricate wedding gown and started to speak.

"First of all, we just want to say thank you to every single person who came today. We appreciate you taking the time and the effort to come to our wedding and this day wouldn't have been as special if it hadn't been for all of you, so thank you so much!" Taylor smiled, waiting until the applause died down, before preparing herself to continue.

"Chad and I, as you all know, dated in high school. But we were never the 'It Couple.' We were too different, we fought too much, we weren't from the same cliques – in hindsight, we weren't supposed to make it this far. Nobody really believed in us and sometimes, we didn't believe in us either. I mean, it was high school and relationships come and go, right?" Taylor paused, letting her words sink in. "Well, that would've been the case for us, if it hadn't been for two extraordinary people. They believed in us when everybody else was doubtful. They believed in us when we couldn't or didn't want to. They believed in us when the whole world said it was wrong,"

Taylor paused to wipe the tears from her eyes, her hand clutching her champagne flute tightly. Taking a deep breath, she pointed at Troy and Gabriella, causing everybody's gaze in the room to refocus. "Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez are two of the strongest people we know. They've been through it all – breakups, make-ups, life-changing experiences, long-distance…they've seen what the harsh world can do to a perfect love. But somehow, amidst all of that adversity, they've managed to come out better. They've risen above the hardships, the confusion, and the uncertainty of it all. You see, _they_ were the 'It Couple' of East High," she giggled, a laugh circling the tent.

"So, we just wanted to say a special thank you to Troy and Gabriella, for showing us it's possible to find the one when you're sixteen. For showing us it's possible to beat all the odds and prove everybody wrong. But most importantly, for believing in us," Taylor finished tearfully.

Gabriella choked back a sob, hugging Taylor and Chad tightly as they walked past their table. The band started playing again and she saw her friends hit the dance floor, but she couldn't. Her best friend's speech was still fresh in her memory and she pored over each word, loving the way it sounded.

"You want to dance?" Troy's deep, husky voice tickled her ear, as he leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.

"No, let's…let's just stay here for a while," she untangled her legs and moved to sit on his lap, her fingers twisting into the ends of his hair.

"You sure you don't want to get up on this?" he joked, gesturing to himself and Gabriella couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face – inexplicably happy, with a hint of that familiar, playful smirk.

"Let's just stay here for a bit," she repeated, resting her forehead against his. Her eyes met his and Gabriella felt the electricity between them, sending shivers up and down her spine. "Besides, we have the rest of our lives together."

There would be hard times, she knew that. There would be tough conversations about the future, there would be talk about marriage, proposals, and living together. But for once, Gabriella wasn't afraid to let her heart get back into it. She wasn't afraid to let her heart feel and yearn for something that had been taken away from her. No, this time, there was no denying it.

There was a time when Gabriella had shown up completely drunk in front of Troy's house, demanding answers. They had had an argument about Brian and his empty promises to Gabriella versus Troy and his promises. After all that, Gabriella remembered Troy saying that maybe they only had that one shot to be happy together, that it was now over and could never be again. The next day, when Gabriella was nursing a brutal hangover, she had asked him if he meant what he said.

He never gave her an answer and Gabriella never asked it again, but after everything that had happened, she knew what he would've said, what he'd still say.

That he didn't mean it. That it wasn't their only shot at being happy.

Gabriella knew this now, looking into ocean-blue eyes - that it had never been over for them.

And that everybody, even Troy and Gabriella, deserved a second chance at happiness.

* * *

**A/N: I just want to say, thank you so much to everybody who's ever come across this fic. I've really loved writing this & I've gotten such great feedback and enthusiasm from every single one of you, so thank you so much. **

**I know I never gave any indication that this fic was ending, but honestly, it just felt like it was time. I kind of like how I wrapped this all up and I just feel like it's great to see the characters come full circle. Regardless, I'd love to see what you guys think of it - do you like it, love it, or absolutely hate how I've ended it? :S Tee hee.**

**Again, thanks so much. I don't know if I'll be writing any more Troy/Gabriella or HSM fics, seeing as how I'm not that interested in Zac Efron anymore. Lol. Still, there are so many great fics out there, so I'll definitely keep reading. :) Xoxo.**


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